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The   Colonial  Architecture 
of  Philadelphia 


Nine  hundred  and  seventy-five  copies  of 
&fje  Colonial  Architecture  of  pi)tlaoel|^ta, 
of  which  nine  hundred  and  fifty  are  for 
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This  copy  is  Number abi- 


Plate  I.  —  Doorway,  Cliveden,  Germantown. 


The 

Colonial  Architecture 

of  Philadelphia 

By 

Frank  Cousins  and  Phil  M.  Riley 

Illustrated 


NON- REFER? 


'AO-ans 


*  I  .  • 


Boston 
Little,  Brown,  and  Company 

IQ20 


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Copyright,  IQ20, 
By  Little,  Brown,  and  Company. 


All  rights  reserved 


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Art 
Library 


Foreword 

SO  many  books  have  been  published  which  are 
devoted  wholly  or  in  part  to  the  fine  old  Colonial 
residences    and    public    buildings    of    Philadelphia, 
-»     including  Germantown,  that  it  might  seem  almost 
^    the  part  of  temerity  to  suppose  there  could  be  a 
•*^  place  for  another  one.     A  survey  of  the  entire  list, 
however,    discloses    the    fact    that    almost    without 
exception  these  books   are  devoted  primarily  to  a 
K  .     picture  of  the  city  in  Colonial  times,  to  the  stories 
*l   of  its  old  houses  and  other  buildings  now  remaining, 
or  to  an  account  of  the  activities  of  those  who  peopled 
them  from  one  to  two  centuries  ago.     Some  more 
or  less  complete  description  of  the  structures  men- 
tioned has  occasionally  been  included,  to  be  sure, 
but    almost    invariably   this    has    been    subordinate 
to  the  main  theme.     The  narrative  has  been  woven 
upon  a  historical  rather  than  an  architectural  back- 
ground, so  that  these  books  appeal  to  the  tourist, 
historian  and  antiquary  rather  than  to  the  architect, 
student  and  prospective  home  builder. 

Interesting  as  was  the  provincial  life  of  this  com- 
munity; absorbing  as  are  the  reminiscences  attach- 
ing to  its  well-known  early  buildings ;    important  as 

[v] 


Foreword 

were  the  activities  of  those  who  made  them  part 
and  parcel  of  our  national  life,  the  Colonial  archi- 
tecture of  this  vicinity  is  in  itself  a  priceless  heritage 
—  extensive,  meritorious,  substantial,  distinctive. 
It  is  a  heritage  not  only  of  local  but  of  national 
interest,  deserving  detailed  description,  analysis  and 
comparison  in  a  book  which  includes  historic  facts 
only  to  lend  true  local  color  and  impart  human 
interest  to  the  narrative,  to  indicate  the  sources  of 
affluence  and  culture  which  aided  so  materially  in 
developing  this  architecture,  and  to  describe  the  life 
and  manners  of  the  time  which  determined  its  design 
and  arrangement.  Such  a  book  the  authors  have 
sought  to  make  the  present  volume,  and  both  Mr. 
Riley  in  writing  the  text  and  Mr.  Cousins  in  illus- 
trating it  have  been  actuated  primarily  by  archi- 
tectural rather  than  historic  values,  although  in 
most  instances  worthy  of  inclusion  the  two  are 
inseparable. 

For  much  of  the  historic  data  the  authors  acknowl- 
edge their  indebtedness  to  the  authors  of  previous 
Philadelphia  books,  notably  "Philadelphia,  the  City 
and  Its  People"  and  "The  Literary  History  of 
Philadelphia",  Ellis  Paxon  Oberholtzer ;  "  Old  Roads 
Out  of  Philadelphia"  and  "The  Romance  of  Old 
Philadelphia",  John  Thomson  Faris  ;  "The  History 
of  Philadelphia"  and  "Historic  Mansions  of  Phila- 
delphia", T.  Westcott;  "The  Colonial  Homes  of 
Philadelphia  and  Its  Neighborhood",  Harold  Donald- 

[vi] 


Foreword 

son  Eberlein  and  Horace  Mather  Lippincott;  "Co- 
lonial Mansions  ",  Thomas  Allen  Glenn  ;  "The  Guide 
Book  to  Historic  Germantown",  Charles  Francis 
Jenkens ;  "Germantown  Road  and  Its  Associa- 
tions", Townsend  Ward.  Ph.  B.  Wallace,  of  Phila- 
delphia, photographed  some  of  the  best  subjects. 

The  original  boundaries  of  Philadelphia  remained 
unchanged  for  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  years 
after  the  founding  of  the  city,  the  adjoining  terri- 
tory, as  it  became  populated,  being  erected  into 
corporated  districts  in  the  following  order  :  South- 
wark,  1762;  Northern  Liberties,  1771 ;  Moyamens- 
ing,  1812;  Spring  Garden,  1813  ;  Kensington,  1820; 
Penn,  1844;  Richmond,  1847;  West  Philadelphia, 
1851;  and  Belmont,  1853.  In  1854  a^  these  dis- 
tricts, together  with  the  boroughs  of  Germantown, 
Frankford,  Manayunk,  White  Hall,  Bridesburg  and 
Aramingo,  and  the  townships  of  Passyunk,  Blockley, 
Kingsessing,  Roxborough,  Germantown,  Bristol,  Ox- 
ford, Lower  Dublin,  Moreland,  Byberry,  Delaware 
and  Penn  were  abolished  by  an  act  of  the  State 
legislature,  and  the  boundaries  of  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia were  extended  to  the  Philadelphia  county 
lines. 

Such  of  these  outlying  communities  as  had  been 
settled  prior  to  the  Revolution  were  closely  related 
to  Philadelphia  by  common  interests,  a  common 
provincial  government  and  a  common  architecture. 
For  these  reasons,  therefore,  it  seems  more  logical 

[vii] 


Foreword 

that  this  treatise  devoted  to  the  Colonial  archi- 
tecture of  the  first  capitol  of  the  United  States  should 
embrace  the  greater  city  of  the  present  day  rather 
than  confine  itself  to  the  city  proper  of  Colonial 
times.  Otherwise  it  would  be  a  problem  where  to 
draw  the  line,  and  much  of  value  would  be  omitted. 
The  wealth  of  material  thus  comprehended  is  so 
great,  however,  that  it  is  impossible  in  a  single  book 
of  ordinary  size  to  include  more  than  a  fractional 
part  of  it.  An  attempt  has  therefore  been  made 
to  present  an  adequate  number  of  representative 
types  chosen  with  careful  regard,  first,  to  their 
architectural  merit,  and  second,  to  their  historic 
interest.  Exigencies  of  space  are  thus  the  only 
reason  for  the  omission  of  numerous  excellent  houses 
without  historic  association  and  others  rich  in  history 
but  deficient  in  architecture. 

Frank  Cousins  and  Phil  M.  Riley. 
April  i,  1920 


[  viii 


Contents 


Foreword    .        . 

I.  Philadelphia  Architecture 

II.  Georgian  Country  Houses  of  Brick 

III.  City  Residences  of  Brick 

IV.  Ledge-Stone  Country  Houses  . 

V.  Plastered  stone  Country  Houses  . 

VI.  Hewn  Stone  Country  Houses  . 

VII.  Doorways  and  Porches     . 

VIII.  Windows  and  Shutters 

IX.  Halls  and  Staircases 

X.  Mantels  and  Chimney  Pieces  . 

XI.  Interior  Wood  Finish 

XII.  Public  Buildings        .... 

Index   


PAGE 
V 

I 

16 

38 

S3 

69 

86 

101 

134 

153 

169 

185 

196 

227 


[ix] 


List  of  Plates 


I.     Doorway,  Cliveden,  Germantown  Frontispiece 

PAGE 

II.     Old  Mermaid  Inn,  Mount  Airy ;  Old  Red  Lion 

Inn       ........         6 

III.  Camac  Street,  "The  Street  of  Little  Clubs"; 

Woodford,  Northern   Liberties,    Fairmount 
Park.     Erected  by  William  Coleman  in  1756         7 

IV.  Stenton,    Germantown    Avenue,    Germantown. 

Erected   by  James   Logan  in    1727   .         .       12 

V.  Hope  Lodge,  Whitemarsh  Valley.  Erected  by 
Samuel  Morris  in  1723 ;  Home  of  Stephen 
Girard 13 

VI.     Port  Royal  House,  Frankford.     Erected  in  1762 

by  Edward  Stiles 16 

VII.  Blackwell  House,  224  Pine  Street.  Erected 
about  1765  by  John  Stamper;  Wharton 
House,  336  Spruce  Street.  Erected  prior  to 
1796  by  Samuel  Pancoast  .         . '       .       17 

VIII.     Morris  House,  225  South  Eighth  Street.    Erected 

in  1786  by  John  Reynolds    ....       20 

IX.  Wistar  House,  Fourth  and  Locust  Streets. 
Erected  about  1750;  Betsy  Ross  House, 
239  Arch  Street 21 

X.  Glen  Fern,  on  Wissahickon  Creek,  Germantown. 
Erected  about  1747  by  Thomas  Shoemaker; 
Grumblethorpe,  5261  Germantown  Avenue, 
Germantown.  Erected  in  1744  by  John 
Wister 24 

[xi] 


List  of  Plates 


XL  Upsala,  Germantown  Avenue  and  Upsala 
Streets,  Germantown.  Erected  in  1798 
by  John  Johnson ;  End  Perspective  of 
Upsala 25 

XII.  The  Woodlands,  Blockley  Township,  West 
Philadelphia.  Erected  in  1770  by 
William  Hamilton;  Stable  at  The 
Woodlands 28 

XIII.  Wyck,  Germantown  Avenue  and  Walnut  Lane, 

Germantown.  Erected  by  Hans  Millan 
about  1690;  Hall  and  Entrance  Doorways, 
Wyck 29 

XIV.  Mount    Pleasant,    Northern    Liberties,    Fair- 

mount  Park.  Erected  in  1761  by  Captain 
James  Macpherson ;  The  Main  House, 
Mount  Pleasant 32 

XV.  Deschler-Perot-Morris  House,  5442  German- 
town  Avenue,  Germantown.  Erected 
in  1772  by  Daniel  Deschler;  Vernon, 
Vernon  Park,  Germantown.  Erected  in 
1803  by  James  Matthews  .         .  33 

XVI.  Loudoun,  Germantown  Avenue  and  Apsley 
Street,  Germantown.  Erected  in  1801  by 
Thomas  Armat ;  Solitude,  Blockley  Town- 
ship, Fairmount  Park.  Erected  in  1785 
by  John  Penn 34 

XVII.  Cliveden,  Germantown  Avenue  and  Johnson 
Street,  Germantown.  Erected  in  1781  by 
Benjamin  Chew 35 

XVIII.     Detail  of  Cliveden  Facade ;    Detail  of  Bartram 

House  Facade 40 

XIX.     The  Highlands,   Skippack   Pike,   Whitemarsh. 

Erected  in  1796  by  Anthony  Morris  .       41 

[xii] 


hist   of  Plates 


XX.  Bartram  House,  Kingsessing,  West  Phila- 
delphia. Erected  in  1730-31  by 
John  Bartram;  Old  Green  Tree  Inn, 
6019  Germantown  Avenue,  German- 
town.     Erected  in  1748  ...       46 

XXI.  Johnson  House,  6306  Germantown  Avenue, 
Germantown.  Erected  in  1765-68  by 
Dirck  Jansen;  Billmeyer  House, 
Germantown  Avenue,  Germantown. 
Erected  in  1727 47 

XXII.  Hooded  Doorway,  Johnson  House,  German- 
town;  Hooded  Doorway,  Green  Tree 
Inn 52 

XXIII.  Pedimental    Doorway,    114    League    Street; 

Pedimental    Doorway,     5933     German- 
town  Avenue  .         .         .         .  53 

XXIV.  Doorway,       501 1     Germantown       Avenue; 

Doorway,    Morris    House,    225    South 
Eighth  Street 56 

XXV.     Doorway,      6504      Germantown      Avenue; 

Doorway,  709  Spruce  Street  .         .       57 

XXVI.     Doorway,       5200      Germantown      Avenue; 

Doorway,  4927  Frankford  Avenue  .       60 

XXVII.  Doorway,  Powel  House,  244  South  Third 
Street;  Doorway,  Wharton  House, 
336  Spruce  Street  ....       61 

XXVIII.     Doorway,  301  South  Seventh  Street      .         .       64 

XXIX.  Doorway,  Grumblethorpe,  5621  German- 
town  Avenue;  Doorway,  6105 
Germantown  Avenue      ....       65 

XXX.     Doorway,        Doctor        Denton's        House, 

Germantown 68 

XXXI.     West  Entrance,  Mount  Pleasant,  Fairmount 

Park;  East  Entrance,  Mount  Pleasant  .       69 

[  xiii  ] 


List  of  Plates 


XXXII.  Doorway,  Solitude,  Fairmount  Park; 
Doorway",  Perot-Morris  House,  5442 
Germantown  Avenue  ....       72 

XXXIII.  Entrance  Porch  and  Doorway,  Upsala,  Ger- 

mantown j  Elliptical  Porch  and  Door- 
way, 39  Fisher's  Lane, Wayne  Junction       73 

XXXIV.  Doorway,  224  South  Eighth  Street ;  Door- 

way, Stenton       .....       78 

XXXV.     Doorway  and  Ironwork,  Southeast  Corner 

of  Eighth  and  Spruce  Streets       .         .       79 

XXXVI.  Doorway  and  Ironwork,  Northeast  Corner 
of  Third  and  Pine  Streets ;  Stoop 
with  Curved  Stairs  and  Iron  Handrail, 
316  South  Third  Street        ...       84 

XXXVII.     Stoop  and  Balustrade,  Wistar  House ;  Stoop 

and  Balustrade,  130  Race  Street  .       85 

XXXVIII.  Detail  of  Iron  Balustrade,  216  South 
Ninth  Street;  Stoop  with  Wing 
Flights,  207  La  Grange  Alley       .         .       88 

XXXIX.     Iron  Newel,  Fourth  and  Liberty  Streets ; 

Iron  Newel,  1 107  Walnut  Street  .       89 

XL.  Footscraper,  Wyck;  Old  Philadelphia 
Footscraper;  Footscraper,  Third  and 
Spruce  Streets ;  Footscraper,  Dirck- 
Keyser  House,  Germantown        .         .       92 

XLI.  Footscraper,  320  South  Third  Street; 
Footscraper,  South  Third  Street; 
Footscraper,  Vernon,  Germantown ; 
Footscraper,  239  Pine  Street       .         .       93 

XLII.  Iron  Stair  Rail  and  Footscraper,  South 
Seventh  Street  (section) ;  Iron  Stair 
Rail  and  Footscraper,  South  Fourth 
Street  (section) ;  Iron  Stair  Rail  and 
Footscraper,     Seventh     and     Locust 

[xiv] 


List   of  Plates 


Streets  (section);  Iron  Stair  Rail 
and  Footscraper,  Seventh  and  Locust 
Streets  (section)  .         .  .98 

XLIII.     Detail  of  Window  and   Shutters,   Morris 

House  ......       99 

XLIV.  Window  and  Shutters,  Free  Quakers' 
Meeting  House,  Fifth  and  Arch 
Streets ;  Second  Story  Window,  Free 
Quakers'  Meeting  House     .         .         .     102 

XLV.  Detail  of  Window,  Combes  Alley ;  Window 
and  Shutters,  Cliveden ;  Window,  Bar- 
tram  House 103 

XLVI.     Window,  Stenton;   Window  and  Shutters, 

128  Race  Street 106 

XLVII.  Dormer,  Witherili  House,  130  North  Front 
Street;  Dormer,  6105  Germantown 
Avenue,  Germantown ;  Foreshortened 
Window,  Morris  House;  Dormer, 
Stenton ;  Window  and  Shutters, 
Witherili  House;  Window  and 
Blinds,  6105  Germantown  Avenue       .     107 

XLVIII.  Shutter  Fastener,  Cliveden;  Shutter 
Fastener,  Wyck;  Shutter  Fastener, 
Perot-Morris  House ;  Shutter  Fastener, 
6043  Germantown  Avenue  .         .         .110 

XLIX.     Detail   of   Round   Headed   Window,  Con- 
gress Hall ;   Detail  of  Round  Headed 
Window,  Christ  Church       .         .         .     ill 

L.     Fenestration,    Chancel    End,    St.    Peter's 

Church 114 

LI.     Details     of     Round     Headed     Windows, 

Christ  Church     .         .         .  .     115 

LII.  Chancel  Window,  Christ  Church;  Palla- 
dian  Window  and  Doorway,  In- 
dependence Hall  .         .         .         .118 

[xvl 


List  of  Plates 


PAGE 

LIII.     Palladian  Window,  The  Woodlands    .         .119 

LIV.     Great  Hall  and  Staircase,  Stenton      .         .122 

LV.     Hall  and  Staircase,  Whitby  Hall;    Detail 

of  Staircase,  Whitby  Hall    .         .         .123 

LVI.  Hall  and  Staircase,  Mount  Pleasant; 
Second  Floor  Hall  Archway  and 
Palladian  Window,  Mount  Pleasant    .     126 

LVII.     Hall    and    Staircase,    Cliveden ;    Staircase 

Detail,  Cliveden 127 

LVIII.  Detail  of  Staircase  Balustrade  and  Newel, 
Upsala;  Staircase  Balustrade,  Rox- 
borough       ......     130 

LIX.  Staircase  Detail,  Upsala ;  Staircase 
Balustrade,  Gowen  House,  Mount 
Airy 131 

LX.  Detail  of  Stair  Ends,  Carpenter  House, 
Third  and  Spruce  Streets;  Detail  of 
Stair  Ends,  Independence  Hall 
(horizontal  section)      .         .         .         .     134 

LXI.  Chimney  Piece  in  the  Hall,  Stenton; 
Chimney  Piece  and  Paneled  Wall, 
Great  Chamber,  Mount  Pleasant         .     135 

LXII.     Chimney  Piece  and  Paneled  Wall,  Parlor, 

Whitby  Hall        .         ...         .         .138 

LXIII.     Chimney  Piece,  Parlor,  Mount  Pleasant; 

Chimney  Piece,  Parlor,  Cliveden  .     139 

LXIV.  Chimney  Piece  and  Paneled  Wall  on  the 
Second  Floor  of  an  Old  Spruce  Street 
House;  Detail  of  Mantel,  312  Cypress 
Street 142 

LXV.     Parlor  Mantel,  Upsala;    Detail  of  Parlor 

Mantel,  Upsala   .....     143 

LXVI.     Mantel  at  Upsala;    Mantel  at  Third  and 

DeLancy  Streets  .         .         .  144 

f  xvi  1 


List   of  Plates 


LXVII.     Mantel,  Rex  House,  Mount  Airy;  Mantel 

at  729  Walnut  Street  ....     145 

LXVIII.     Parlor,  Stenton ;  Reception  Room,  Stenton     148 

LXIX.     Dining  Room,  Stenton;    Library,  Stenton     149 

LXX.  Pedimental  Doorway,  First  Floor,  Mount 
Pleasant ;  Pedimental  Doorway, 
Second  Floor,  Mount  Pleasant    .         .     152 

LXXI.  Doorways,  Second  Floor  Hall,  Mount 
Pleasant;  Doorway  Detail,  Whitby 
Hall    .        .        .        .        .        .        .153 

LXXII.  Inside  of  Front  Door,  Whitby  Hall; 
Palladian  Window  on  Stair  Landing, 
Whitby  Hall 156 

LXXIIL  Window  Detail,  Parlor,  Whitby  Hall; 
Window  Detail,  Dining  Room,  Whitby 
Hall 157 

LXXIV.     Ceiling    Detail,    Solitude;    Cornice    and 

Frieze  Detail,  Solitude         .         .         .160 

LXXV.     Independence  Hall,  Independence  Square  - 

Side.     Begun  in  173 1  ....     161 

LXXVI.     Independence      Hall,      Chestnut      Street 

Side 164 

LXXVII.     Independence    Hall,    Stairway;     Liberty 

Bell,  Independence  Hall      .         .         .     165 

LXXVIII.  Stairway  Landing,  Independence  Hall; 
Palladian  Window  at  Stairway  Land- 
ing        170 

LXXIX.     Declaration  Chamber,  Independence  Hall     171 

LXXX.  Judge's  Bench,  Supreme  Court  Room, 
Independence  Hall ;  Arcade  at  Oppo- 
site End  of  Court  Room     .        .        .174 

LXXXI.     Banquet  Hall,  Second  Floor,  Independence 

Hall ;  Entrance  to  Banquet  Hall         .     175 

[  xvii  ] 


List  of  Plates 


'  LXXXIL 


LXXXIII. 
LXXXIV. 

LXXXV. 
LXXXVI. 


LXXXVII. 

LXXXVIII. 

LXXXIX. 

xc. 

XCI. 


XCII.    St 


XCIII. 


Congress  Hall,  Sixth  and  Chestnut  Streets. 
Completed  in  1790;  Congress  Hall 
from  Independence  Square . 

Stair  Hall  Details,  Congress  Hall 

Interior  Detail  of  Main  Entrance,  Con- 
gress Hall;  President's  Dais,  Senate 
Chamber,  Congress  Hall 

Gallery,  Senate  Chamber,  Congress  Hall 

Carpenters'  Hall,  off  Chestnut  Street 
between  South  Third  and  South 
Fourth  Streets.  Erected  in  1770; 
Old  Market  House,  Second  and  Pine 
Streets         ...... 

Main  Building,  Pennsylvania  Hospital. 
Erected  in  1755 

Main  Hall  and  Double  Staircase,  Penn- 
sylvania Hospital         .... 

Custom  House,  Fifth  and  Chestnut 
Streets.  Completed  in  1824;  Main 
Building,  Girard  College.  Begun  in 
1833 

Old  Stock  Exchange,  Walnut  and  Dock 
Streets;  Girard  National  Bank,  116 
South  Third  Street      .... 

Christ  Church,  North  Second  Street  near 
Market  Street.  Erected  in  1727-44; 
Old  Swedes'  Church,  Swanson  and 
Christian  Streets.  Erected  in  1698- 
1700 

Peter's  Church,  South  Third  and 
Pine  Streets.  Erected  in  1761 ;  Lec- 
tern, St.  Peter's  Church 

Interior  and  Chancel,  Christ  Church ; 
Interior    and     Lectern,     St.     Peter's 

Church 

[  xviii  ] 


180 
181 


190 
191 


196 


197 


206 


207 


210 


211 


216 


217 


List  of  Plates 

PAGE 

XCIV.  Interior  and  Chancel,  Old  Swedes'  Church ; 
St.  Paul's  Church,  South  Third  Street 
near  Walnut  Street      ....     220 

XCV.  Mennonite  Meeting  House,  Germantown. 
Erected  in  1770;  Holy  Trinity 
Church,  South  Twenty-first  and  Wal- 
nut Streets .221 


[  xix] 


The   Colonial  Architecture 
of  Philadelphia 

CHAPTER   I 
PHILADELPHIA   ARCHITECTURE 

PHILADELPHIA  occupies  a  unique  position 
in  American  architecture.  Few  of  the  early 
settled  cities  of  the  United  States  can  boast  so  ex- 
tensive or  so  notable  a  collection  of  dwellings  and 
public  buildings  in  the  so-called  Colonial  style,  many 
of  them  under  auspices  that  insure  their  indefinite 
perpetuation.  These  beautiful  old  structures  are  al- 
most exclusively  of  brick  and  stone  and  of  a  more 
elaborate  and  substantial  character  than  any  con- 
temporary work  to  be  found  above  the  Mason  and 
Dixon  line  which  later  became  in  part  the  boundary 
between  the  North  and  the  South.  Erected  and 
occupied  by  the  leading  men  of  substance  of  the 
Province  of  Pennsylvania,  the  fine  old  country- 
seats,  town  residences  and  public  buildings  of  the 
"City  of  Brotherly  Love"  not  only  comprise  a 
priceless  architectural  inheritance,  but  the  glamour 
of   their   historic   association    renders    them   almost 

in 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

national  monuments,  and  so  object  lessons  of  material 
assistance  in  keeping  alive  the  spirit  and  ideals 
of  true  Americanism. 

Much  of  the  best  Colonial  domestic  architecture 
in  America'  is  to  be  found  in  this  vicinity,  a  great 
deal  of  it  still  standing  in  virtually  its  pristine  con- 
dition as  enduring  memorials  of  the  most  elegant 
period  in  Colonial  life.  Just  as  men  have  person- 
ality, so  houses  have  individuality.  And  as  the 
latter  is  but  a  reflection  of  the  former,  a  study  of 
the  architecture  of  any  neighborhood  gives  us  a 
more  intimate  knowledge  of  contemporary  life  and 
manners,  while  the  history  of  the  homes  of  promi- 
nent personages  is  usually  the  history  of  the  com- 
munity. Such  a  study  is  the  more  interesting  in 
the  present  instance,  however,  in  that  not  merely 
local  but  national  history  was  enacted  within  the 
Colonial  residences  and  public  buildings  of  old 
Philadelphia.  Men  prominent  in  historic  incidents 
of  Colonial  times  which  profoundly  affected  the 
destiny  of  the  country  lived  in  Philadelphia.  The 
fathers  of  the  American  nation  were  familiar  figures 
on  the  streets  of  the  city,  and  Philadelphians  in 
their  native  city  wrote  their  names  large  in  Ameri- 
can history. 

Philadelphia  was  not  settled  until  approxi- 
mately half  a  century  later  than  the  other  early 
centers  of  the  North,  —  Plymouth,  New  York, 
Salem,    Boston    and    Providence.     Georgian    archi- 


Philadelphia  Architecture 

tecture  had  completely  won  the  approval  of  the 
English  people,  and  so  it  was  that  few  if  any  build- 
ings showing  Elizabethan  and  Jacobean  influences 
were  erected  here  as  in  New  England.  Although 
several  other  nationalities  were  from  the  first  repre- 
sented in  the  population,  notably  the  Swedish, 
Dutch  and  German,  the  British  were  always  in 
the  majority,  and  while  a  few  old  houses,  especially 
those  with  plastered  walls,  have  a  slightly  Conti- 
nental atmosphere,  all  are  essentially  Georgian  or 
pure  Colonial  in  design  and  detail. 

To  understand  how  this  remarkable  collection 
of  Colonial  architecture  came  into  being,  and  to 
appreciate  what  it  means  to  us,  it  is  necessary 
briefly  to  review  the  early  history  of  Philadelphia. 
Although  some  small  trading  posts  had  been  es- 
tablished by  the  Swedes  and  Dutch  in  the  lower 
valley  of  the  Delaware  River  from  1623  onward, 
it  was  not  until  1682  that  Philadelphia  was  settled 
under  a  charter  which  William  Penn  obtained  from 
Charles  II  the  previous  year,  providing  a  place  of 
refuge  for  Quakers  who  were  suffering  persecution 
in  England  under  the  "Clarendon  Code."\  The  site 
was  chosen  by  Penn's  commission,  consisting  of 
Nathaniel  Allen,  John  Bezan  and  William  Heage, 
assisted  by  Penn's  cousin,  Captain  William  Mark- 
ham,  as  deputy  governor,  and  Thomas  Holme 
as  surveyor-general.  The  Swedes  had  established  a 
settlement   at   the   mouth   of  the   Schuylkill   River 

[3] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

not  later  than  1643,  and  the  site  selected  by  the  com- 
missioners was  held  by  three  brothers  of  the  Swaen- 
son  family.  They  agreed,  however,  to  take  in 
exchange  land  in  what  is  now  known  as  the  North- 
ern Liberties,  and  in  the  summer  of  1682,  Holme 
laid  out  the  city  extending  from  the  Delaware  River 
on  the  east  to  the  Schuylkill  River  on  the  west  —  a 
distance  of  about  two  miles  —  and  from  Vine  Street 
on  the  north  to  Cedar,  now  South  Street,  on  the 
south,  —  a  distance  of  about  one  mile.  Penn  landed 
at  New  Castle  on  the  Delaware,  October  27,  1682, 
and  probably  came  to  his  newly  founded  city  soon 
afterward.  A  meeting  of  the  Provincial  Council 
was  held  March  10,  1683,  and  from  that  time  Phila- 
delphia was  the  capital  of  Pennsylvania  until  1799, 
when  Lancaster  was  chosen. 

Not  only  did  Penn  obtain  a  grant  of  land  pos- 
sessed of  rare  and  diversified  natural  beauty,  ex- 
treme fertility,  mineral  wealth  and  richness  of  al 
kinds,  but  he  showed  great  sagacity  in  encouraging 
ambitious  men  of  education  and  affluence,  and 
artisans  of  skill  and  taste  in  many  lines,  to  colonize 
it.  To  these  facts  are  due  the  quick  prosperity 
which  came  to  Philadelphia  and  which  has  made  it 
to  this  day  one  of  the  foremost  manufacturing 
centers  in  the  United  States.  Textile,  foundry  and 
many  other  industries  soon  sprang  up  to  supply 
the  wants  of  these  diligent  people  three  thousand 
miles  from  the  mother  country  and   to  provide  a 

[4] 


Philadelphia  Architecture 

basis  of  trade  with  the  rest  of  the  world.  Ship- 
yards were  established  and  a  merchant  marine 
built  up  which  soon  brought  to  Philadelphia  a  for- 
eign and  coastwise  commerce  second  to  none  in  the 
American  colonies.  Local  merchants  engaged  in 
trade  with  Europe  and  the  West  Indies,  and  these 
profitable  ventures  soon  brought  great  affluence 
and  a  high  degree  of  culture.  By  the  time  of  the 
Revolution  Philadelphia  had  become  the  largest, 
richest,  most  extravagant  and  fashionable  city  of 
the  American  colonies.  Society  was  gayer,  more 
polished  and  distinguished  than  anywhere  else  this 
side  of  the  Atlantic. 

Among  the  skilled  artisans  attracted  by  the 
promise  of  Penn's  "Sylvania"  were  numerous  car- 
penters and  builders.  Penn  induced  James  Portius 
to  come  to  the  new  world  to  design  and  execute 
his  proprietary  buildings,  and  Portius  was  ac- 
companied and  followed  by  others  of  more  or  less 
skill  in  the  same  and  allied  trades.  While  some 
of  the  building  materials  and  parts  of  the  finished 
woodwork  were  for  a  time  brought  from  England, 
local  skill  and  resources  were  soon  equal  to  the 
demands,  as  much  of  their  handiwork  still  existing 
amply  shows.  As  early  as  1724  the  master  car- 
penters of  the  city  organized  the  Carpenters'  Com- 
pany, a  guild  patterned  after  the  Worshipful  Com- 
pany of  Carpenters  of  London,  founded  in  1477. 
Portius  was  one  of  the  leading  members,  and  on  his 

[si 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

death  in  1736  laid  the  foundation  of  a  valuable 
builders'  library  by  giving  his  rare  collection  of 
early  architectural  books  to  the  company. 

•  Toward  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century 
American  carpenters  and  builders  everywhere, 
Philadelphia  included,  were  materially  aided  by  the 
appearance  of  handy  little  ready  reference  books 
of  directions  for  joinery  containing  measured  draw- 
ings with  excellent  Georgian  detail.  Such  publi- 
cations became  the  fountainhead  of  Colonial  design. 
They  taught  our  local  craftsmen  the  technique  of 
building  and  the  art  of  proportion  ;  instilled  in  their 
minds  an  appreciation  of  classic  motives  and  the 
desire  to  adapt  the  spirit  of  the  Renaissance  to 
their  own  needs  and  purposes.  In  those  days  some 
knowledge  of  architecture  was  considered  essential 
to  every  gentleman's  education,  and  with  the  aid 
of  these  builders'  reference  books  many  men  in  other 
professions  throughout  the  country  became  amateur 
architects  of  no  mean  ability  as  a  pastime. 
In  and  about  Philadelphia  their  Georgian  adapta- 
tions, often  tempered  to  a  degree  by  the  Quaker 
preference  for  the  simple  and  practical,  contributed 
much  to  the  charm  and  distinction  of  local  archi- 
tecture. To  such  amateur  architects  we  owe  Inde- 
pendence Hall,  designed  by  Andrew  Hamilton, 
speaker  of  the  Pennsylvania  Assembly,  and  Christ 
Church,  designed  mainly  by  Doctor  John  Kearsley. 

*  During    the    whole    of    the    eighteenth    century 

[6] 


1 


>  i 


Plate  II.  —  Old  Mermaid  Inn,  Mount  Airy;  Old  Red  Lion  Inn. 


Philadelphia  Architecture 

Philadelphia  was  the  most  important  city  com- 
mercially, politically  and  socially  in  the  American 
colonies.  For  this  there  were  several  reasons.  Ow- 
ing to  its  liberal  government  and  its  policy  of  re- 
ligious  toleration,  Philadelphia  and  the  outlying 
districts  gradually  became  a  refuge  for  European 
immigrants  of  various  persecuted  sects.  Nowhere 
else  in  America  was  such  a  heterogeneous  mixture 
of  races  and  religions  to  be  found.  There  were 
Swedes,  Dutch,  English,  Germans,  Welsh,  Irish 
and  Scotch-Irish ;  Quakers,  Presbyterians,  Episcopa- 
lians, Catholics,  Reformed  Lutherans,  Mennonites, 
Dunkers,  Schwenkfelders  and  Moravians.  Until 
the  Seven  Years'  War  between  France  and  Eng- 
land from  1756  to  1763  the  Quakers  dominated  the 
Pennsylvania  government,  and  Quaker  influence 
remained  strong  in  Philadelphia  long  after  it  had 
given  way  to  that  of  the  more  belligerent  Scotch- 
Irish,  mostly  Presbyterians,  in  the  rest  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, until  the  failure  of  the  Whiskey  Insurrection 
in  1794.  This  Scotch-Irish  ascendancy  was  due  not 
only  to  their  increasing  numbers,  but  to  the  in- 
creasing general  dissatisfaction  with  the  Quaker 
failure  to  provide  for  the  defense  of  the  province. 
The  Penns  lost  their  governmental  rights  in  1776 
and  three  years  later  had  their  territorial  rights 
vested  in  the  commonwealth. 

Its  central  location  among  the  American  colonies, 
and  the  fact  that  it  was  the  largest  and  most  sue- 

[7] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

cessful  of  the  proprietary  provinces,  rendered  Penn- 
sylvania's attitude  in  the  struggle  with  the  mother 
country  during  the  Revolution  of  vital  importance. 
The  British  party  was  made  strong  by  the  loyalty 
of  the  large  Church  of  England  element,  the  policy 
of  neutrality  adopted  by  the  Quakers,  Dunkers  and 
Mennonites,  and  the  general  satisfaction  felt  toward 
the  free  and  liberal  government  of  the  province, 
which  had  been  won  gradually  without  such  reverses 
as  had  embittered  the  people  of  Massachusetts  and 
some  of  the  other  British  provinces.  The  Whig 
party  was  successful,  however,  and  Pennsylvania 
contributed  very  materially  to  the  success  of  the 
War  of  Independence,  by  the  important  services 
of  her  statesmen,  by  her  efficient  troops  and  by  the 
financial  aid  rendered  by  Robert  Morris,  founder 
of  the  Bank  of  North  America,  the  oldest  financial 
institution  in  the  United  States. 

Meanwhile  Philadelphia  became  the  very  center 
of  the  new  republic  in  embryo.  The  first  Con- 
tinental Congress  met  in  Carpenters'  Hall  on  Sep- 
tember 5,  1774;  tne  second  Continental  Congress 
in  the  old  State  House,  now  known  as  Independence 
Hall,  on  May  10,  1775  ;  and  throughout  the  Revolu- 
tion, except  from  September  26,  1777,  to  June  18, 
1778,  when  it  was  occupied  by  the  British,  and  the 
Congress  met  in  Lancaster  and  York,  Pennsylvania, 
and  then  in  Princeton,  New  Jersey,  Philadelphia 
was  virtually  the  capital  of  the  American  colonies 

[8] 


Philadelphia  Architecture 

and  socially  the  most  brilliant  city  in  the 
country. 

In  Philadelphia  the  second  Continental  Congress 
adopted  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  which 
the  whole  Pennsylvania  delegation  except  Franklin 
regarded  as  premature,  but  which  was  afterward 
well  supported  by  the  State.  The  national  con- 
vention which  framed  the  constitution  of  the  United 
States  sat  in  Philadelphia  in  1787,  and  from  1790 
to  1800,  when  the  seat  of  government  was  moved 
to  Washington,  Philadelphia  was  the  national  capital. 
Here  the  first  bank  in  the  colonies,  the  Bank  of 
North  America,  was  opened  in  1781,  and  here  the 
first  mint  for  the  coinage  of  United  States  money 
was  established  in  1792.  Here  Benjamin  Franklin 
and  David  Rittenhouse  made  their  great  contribu- 
tions to  science,  and  here  on  September  19,  1796, 
Washington  delivered  his  farewell  address  to  the 
people  of  the  United  States.  Here  lived  Robert 
Morris,  who  managed  the  finances  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, Stephen  Girard  of  the  War  of  181 2  and  Jay 
Cooke  of  the  Civil  War. 

Not  only  in  politics,  but  in  art,  science,  the  drama 
and  most  fields  of  progress  Philadelphia  took  the 
lead  in  America  for  more  than  a  century  and  a  half 
after  its  founding.  Here  was  established  the  first 
public  school  in  1689;  the  first  paper  mill  in  1690; 
the  first  botanical  garden  in  1728  ;  the  first  Masonic 
Lodge   in    1730;      the  first   subscription   library   in 

[9] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

173 1  ;  the  first  volunteer  fire  company  in  1736; 
the  first  magazine  published  by  Franklin  in  1741  ; 
the  first  American  philosophical  society  in  1743  ; 
the  first  religious  magazine  in  1746  ;  the  first  medical 
school  in  1751  ;  the  first  fire  insurance  company  in 
1752;  the  first  theater  in  1759;  the  first  school  of 
anatomy  in  1762;  the  first  American  dispensary 
in  1786;  the  first  water  works  in  1799;  the  first 
zoological  museum  in  1802;  the  first  American  art 
school  in  1805  ;  the  first  academy  of  natural  sciences 
in  1812;  the  first  school  for  training  teachers  in 
18 18;  the  first  American  building  and  loan  associa- 
tion in  183 1 ;  the  first  American  numismatic  society 
in  1858.  From  the  Germantown  Friends'  Meet- 
ing, headed  by  Francis  Daniel  Pastorius,  came  in 
1688  the  first  protest  against  slavery  in  this  country. 
In  Philadelphia  was  published  the  first  American 
medical  book  in  1740;  here  was  given  the  first 
Shakespearean  performance  in  this  country  in  1749 ; 
the  first  lightning  rod  was  erected  here  in  1752  ;  from 
Philadelphia  the  first  American  Arctic  expedition  set 
forth  in  1755  ;  on  the  Schuylkill  River  in  1773  were 
made  the  first  steamboat  experiments ;  the  earliest 
abolition  society  in  the  world  was  organized  here  in 
1774;  tne  nrst  American  piano  was  built  here  in 
1775  ;  here  in  1789  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
was  formally  established  in  the  United  States ;  the 
first  carriage  in  the  world  propelled  by  steam  was 
built  here  in  1804;    the  oldest  American  playhouse 

[10] 


Philadelphia  Architecture 

now  in  existence  was  built  here  in  1808;  the  first 
American  locomotive,  "Ironsides",  was  built  here  in 
1827;  and  the  first  daguerreotype  of  the  human 
face  was  made  here  in  1839.  The  Bible  and  Testa- 
ment, Shakespeare,  Milton  and  Blackstone  were 
printed  for  the  first  time  in  America  in  Philadelphia, 
and  Thackeray's  first  book  originally  appeared  here. 
During  the  latter  half  of  the  eighteenth  century 
Philadelphia  became  noted  throughout  the  American 
colonies  for  its  generous  hospitality  of  every  sort, 
and  this  trait  was  reflected  in  the  domestic  archi- 
tecture of  the  period,  which  was  usually  designed 
with  that  object  in  view.  For  the  brilliance  of  its 
social  life  there  were  several  reasons.  Above  all, 
it  was  the  character  of  an  ever-increasing  number 
of  inhabitants  asserting  itself.  Moreover,  the  tend- 
ency was  aided  by  the  fact  that  as  the  largest,  most 
important  and  most  central  city  in  the  colonies,  it 
became  the  meeting  place  for  delegates  from  all 
the  colonies  to  discuss  common  problems,  and  there- 
fore it  was  incumbent  upon  Philadelphians  to 
entertain  the  visitors.  And  this  they  did  with  a 
lavish  hand.  From  the  visit  of  the  Virginia  Com- 
missioners in  1744  until  the  seat  of  the  United  States 
Government  was  moved  to  Washington  in  1790, 
every  meeting  of  men  prominent  in  political  life  was 
the  occasion  of  much  eating,  drinking  and  con- 
viviality in  the  best  Philadelphia  homes  and  also 
in  the  inns,  where  it  was  the  custom  of  that  day  to 

["I 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

entertain  considerably.  The  old  Red  Lion  Inn  at 
North  Second  and  Noble  streets,  a  picturesque 
gambrel-roof  structure  of  brick  with  a  lean-to  porch 
along  the  front,  is  an  interesting  survival  of  the 
inns  and  taverns  of  Colonial  days,  as  was  also  the 
old  Mermaid  Inn  in  Mount  Airy,  until  torn  down 
not  long  ago.  At  such  gatherings  were  represented 
the  most  brilliant  minds  this  side  of  the  Atlantic, 
and  scintillating  wit  and  humor  enlivened  the  festive 
board,  as  contrasted  with  the  bitter  religious  dis- 
cussions which  had  characterized  American  gather- 
ings in  the  preceding  century  when  tolerance  had 
not  been  so  broad. 

But  the  brilliancy  of  social  life  in  Philadelphia  was 
by  no  means  confined  to  the  entertainment  of 
visitors.  Despite  its  importance,  Philadelphia  was 
a  relatively  small  place  in  those  days.  Everybody 
knew  everybody  else  of  consequence,  and  social 
exchanges  were  inevitable  among  people  of  wealth 
and  culture,  prominent  in  public  life  and  successful 
in  commerce,  of  whom  there  were  a  larger  number 
than  in  any  other  American  city.  While  there  were 
two  separate  and  distinct  social  sets,  the  staid  and 
sober  Quakers  and  the  gay  "World's  People",  they 
were  ever  being  drawn  more  closely  together.  The 
early  severity  of  the  Quakers  had  been  greatly 
tempered  by  the  increasing  worldly  influences  about 
them.  They  were  among  the  richest  inhabitants 
and  prominent  in  the  government,  holding  the  ma- 

[12] 


Philadelphia  Architecture 

jority  in  the  House  of  Assembly.  This  brought 
them  into  constant  association  with  and  under 
the  influence  of  men  in  public  life  elsewhere,  demon- 
strating the  fact  that,  like  the  "World's  People", 
they  dearly  loved  eating  and  drinking.  One  has 
but  to  peruse  some  of  the  old  diaries  of  prominent 
Friends  which  are  still  in  existence  to  see  that  they 
occasionally  "gormandized  to  the  verge  of  gluttony", 
and  even  got  "decently  drunk." 

Toward  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution,  life 
among  most  Quakers  had  ceased  to  be  as  strict  and 
monotonous  as  many  have  supposed.  There  were 
fox  hunting,  horse  racing,  assembly  dances,  barbe- 
cues, cider  frolics,  turtle  and  other  dinners,  tea 
parties  and  punch  drinking,  both  under  private 
auspices  and  among  the  activities  of  such  clubs  as 
the  Colony  in  Schuylkill  and  the  Gloucester  Fox 
Hunting  Club,  in  which  the  First  City  Troop  orig- 
inated. At  the  time  of  monthly,  quarterly  and 
yearly  meetings  whole  families  of  Friends  often 
visited  other  families  for  several  days  at  a  time,  a 
custom  which  became  an  important  element  in 
the  social  intercourse  of  the  province. 

Cock  fighting  and  bull  baiting  were  among  the 
frequent  pastimes  of  Philadelphians,  although 
frowned  upon  by  the  strict  Quaker  element.  The 
same  was  true  of  theatrical  entertainments,  which 
began  in  1754  and  continued  occasionally  there- 
after.    Following  the  first  Shakespearean  perform- 

[13] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

ance  in  America  at  Philadelphia  in  1749,  a  storehouse 
on  Water  Street  near  Pine  Street,  belonging  to 
William  Plumstead,  was  fitted  up  as  a  theater,  and 
in  April,  1754,  the  drama  was  really  introduced  to 
Philadelphia  by  a  series  of  plays  given  by  William 
Hallam's  old  American  Company.  In  1759  the 
first  theater  in  Philadelphia  purposely  erected  for 
the  exhibition  of  plays  was  built  at  the  southwest 
corner  of  Vernon  and  South  (then  Cedar)  streets, 
and  was  opened  by  David  Douglass,  the  manager 
of  the  company  started  by  Hallam.  A  few  years 
later,  in  1766,  was  built  the  old  Southwark  or  South 
Street  Theater  in  South  Street  above  Fourth,  where 
Major  John  Andre  and  Captain  John  Peter  De  Lancy 
acted  during  the  British  occupation  of  the  city,  and 
which  after  twenty  years  of  illegal  existence  was 
opened  "by  authority"  in  1789.  None  of  these  now 
remains,  but  the  Walnut  Street  Theater,  erected  in 
1808,  is  said  to  be  the  oldest  playhouse  in  the  United 
States. 

Taking  all  these  facts  into  consideration,  it  is  not 
surprising  that,  except  for  some  of  the  earliest 
houses  now  remaining  and  others  built  with  less 
ample  fortunes,  little  difference  is  distinguishable 
between  the  homes  of  Quakers  and  "World's  People", 
and  that  the  distinctive  characteristics  of  the  Co- 
lonial architecture  of  Philadelphia  are  more  or  less 
common  to  all  buildings  of  the  period. 

Shortly  after  the  Revolution  the  built-up  portion 

[14] 


Philadelphia  Architecture 

of  the  city  was  bounded  by  the  Delaware  River  on 
the  east  and  Seventh  Street  on  the  west,  and  by 
Poplar  Street  on  the  north  and  Christian  Street  on 
the  south.  While  houses  in  blocks  were  the  rule, 
numerous  unoccupied  lots  made  many  trees  and 
gardens  in  the  rear  and  at  the  sides  of  detached 
houses  quite  common.  This  was  regarded  as  not 
entirely  sufficient  by  the  wealthier  families,  which 
considered  country  living  essential  to  health,  com- 
fort and  pleasure,  and  so  maintained  two  estab- 
lishments, —  a  town  house  for  winter  occupancy 
and  a  countryseat  as  a  summer  retreat.  Others 
desiring  to  live  more  nearly  in  the  manner  of  their 
English  forbears  in  the  mother  country  chose  to 
make  an  elaborate  countryseat  their  year-round 
place  of  residence.  Thus  the  surrounding  country- 
side —  but  especially  to  the  northwestward  along 
the  high,  wooded  banks  of  the  Schuylkill  River  and 
Wissahickon  Creek  —  became  a  community  of  great 
estates  with  elegant  country  houses  which  have  no 
parallel  in  America  other  than  the  manorial  estates 
along  the  James  River  in  Virginia.  The  Philadel- 
phia of  to-day,  therefore,  has  not  only  a  distinctive 
architecture  in  its  brick,  stone  and  woodwork,  but  a 
diversified  architecture,  embracing  both  the  city 
and  country  types  of  design  and  construction. 


[15] 


CHAPTER  II 

GEORGIAN  COUNTRY  HOUSES  OF  BRICK 

THROUGHOUT  the  Colonial  period,  and  to  a 
degree  during  the  early  years  of  the  Ameri- 
can nation,  Philadelphia  clung  to  the  manners  and 
customs  of  the  mother  country  as  did  few  other 
communities  in  the  new  world.  In  architecture, 
therefore,  it  is  not  surprising  to  find  the  oldest  houses 
and  public  buildings  of  the  American  metropolis 
of  those  days  reflecting  the  tendencies  of  the  times 
across  the  water.  Wood  had  already  ceased  to  be 
a  cheap  building  material  in  England,  and  although 
it  was  abundantly  available  in  America,  brick  and 
stone  were  thought  necessary  for  the  better  homes, 
despite  the  fact  that  for  some  years,  until  sources 
of  clay  and  limestone  were  found,  bricks  and  lime 
for  making  mortar  had  to  be  brought  at  great  ex- 
pense from  overseas.  So  we  find  that  in  1683, 
the  year  following  the  founding  of  the  "City  of 
Brotherly  Love",  William  Penn  erected  for  his 
daughter  Letitia  the  first  brick  house  in  the  town, 
which  was  for  several  years  occupied  by  Penn  and 
his  family.     It  was  located  in  Letitia  Court,  a  small 

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Georgian  Country  Houses  of  Brick 

street  running  from  Market  to  Chestnut  streets 
between  Front  and  Second  streets.  Although  of 
little  architectural  value,  it  was  of  great  historic 
interest,  and  when  in  1883  the  encroachments  of 
the  wholesale  district  threatened  to  destroy  it,  the 
house  was  removed  to  Fairmount  Park  by  the  city 
and  rebuilt  on  Lansdowne  Drive  west  of  the  Girard 
Avenue  bridge.  It  is  open  to  the  public  and  con- 
tains numerous  Penn  relics. 

Thus  from  the  very  outset  brick  construction  has 
been  favored  in  preference  to  wood  in  Philadelphia. 
Homes  in  the  city  proper  were  built  of  it  chiefly, 
and  likewise  many  of  the  elegant  countryseats  in 
the  neighboring  townships,  now  part  of  the  greater 
Philadelphia  of  to-day.  The  wealthier  residents 
very  early  set  the  fashion  of  both  city  and  country 
living,  following  in  this  custom  the  example  of 
William  Penn,  the  founder,  who  not  only  had  his 
house  in  town,  but  a  country  place,  a  veritable 
mansion,  long  since  gone,  on  an  island  in  the  Dela- 
ware River  above  Bristol. 

British  builders  had  forsaken  the  Jacobean  manner 
of  the  early  Renaissance  and  come  completely  under 
the  spell  of  the  English-Classic  or  so-called  Georgian 
style.  Correspondingly,  American  men  of  means 
were  erecting  country  houses  of  brick,  with  orna- 
mental trim  classic  in  detail,  and  of  marble  and  white- 
painted  wood.  Marked  by  solidity,  spaciousness 
and  quiet  dignity,  they  are  thoroughly  Georgian  in 

[17] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

conception,  and  as  such  reminiscent  of  the  manorial 
seats  of  Virginia,  yet  less  stately  and  in  various 
respects  peculiar  to  this  section  of  the  colonies. 
Like  the  bricks,  the  elaborate  interior  woodwork 
was  at  first  brought  from  overseas,  but  later  pro- 
duced by  resident  artisans  of  whom  there  was  an 
ever  increasing  number  of  no  mean  order. 

Almost  without  exception  the  Colonial  brickwork 
of  Philadelphia  was  laid  up  with  wide  mortar  joints 
in  Flemish  bond,  red  stretcher  and  black  header 
bricks  alternating  in  the  same  course.  The  arrange- 
ment not  only  imparts  a  delightful  warmth  and 
pleasing  texture,  but  the  headers  provide  frequent 
transverse  ties,  giving  great  strength  to  the  wall. 
With  this  rich  background  the  enlivening  contrast 
of  marble  lintels  and  sills  and  white-painted  wood 
trim,  in  which  paneled  shutters  play  a  prominent 
part,  form  a  picture  of  rare  charm,  rendered  all 
the  more  satisfying  by  an  appearance  of  obvious 
comfort,  permanence  and  intrinsic  worth  which 
wood  construction,  however  good,  cannot  convey. 

Many  of  the  splendid  old  pre-Revolutionary 
country  houses  of  brick  no  longer  remain  to  us. 
Some  are  gone  altogether;  others  are  remodeled 
almost  beyond  recognition ;  a  few,  hedged  around 
by  the  growing  city,  have  been  allowed  to  fall  into 
a  state  of  hopeless  decay.  Woodford,  however, 
located  in  the  Northern  Liberties,  Fairmount  Park, 
at  York   and  Thirty-third   streets,   is   fairly   repre- 

[18] 


Georgian  Country  Houses  of  Brick 

sentative  of  the  type  of  Georgian  countryseat  of 
brick,  so  many  of  which  were  erected  in  the  suburbs 
of  Philadelphia  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth 
century. 

It  is  a  large  square  structure,  two  and  a  half 
stories  in  height,  with  a  hipped  roof  rising  above  a 
handsome  cornice  with  prominent  modillions  and 
surmounted  by  a  balustraded  belvedere.  Two  large 
chimneys,  much  nearer  together  than  is  ordinarily 
the  case,  emerge  within  the  inclosed  area  of  the 
belvedere  deck.  A  heavy  pediment  springs  from 
the  cornice  above  the  pedimental  doorway,  and  this 
repetition  of  the  motive  imparts  a  pleasing  interest 
and  emphasis  to  the  facade.  The  subordinate 
cornice  at  the  second-floor  level  is  most  unusual  and 
may  perhaps  reflect  the  influence  of  the  penthouse 
roof  which  became  such  a  characteristic  feature  of 
the  ledge  stone  work  of  the  neighborhood.  Few 
houses  have  the  brick  pilaster  treatment  at  the 
corners  with  corresponding  cornice  projections  which 
enrich  the  ornamental  trim.  Six  broad  soapstone 
steps  with  a  simple  wrought-iron  handrail  at  either 
side  lead  up  to  a  fine  doorway,  Tuscan  in  spirit,  with 
high  narrow  doors.  Above,  a  beautiful  Palladian 
window  is  one  of  the  best  features  of  the  facade. 
An  interesting  fenestration  scheme,  with  paneled  shut- 
ters at  the  lower  windows  only,  is  enhanced  by  the 
pleasing  scale  of  twelve-paned  upper  and  lower  win- 
dow sashes  having  broad  white  muntins  throughout. 

[19] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

Opening  the  front  door,  one  finds  himself  in  a  wide 
hall  with  doorways  giving  entrance  to  large  front 
rooms  on  each  side.  Beyond,  a  beautifully  detailed 
arch  supported  by  pilasters  spans  the  hall.  The 
stairway  is  located  near  the  center  of  the  house  in  a 
hall  to  one  side  of  the  main  hall  and  reached  from  it 
through  a  side  door.  Interior  woodwork  of  good 
design  and  workmanship  everywhere  greets  the  eye, 
especially  noticeable  features  being  the  rounding 
cornices,  heavy  wainscots  and  the  floors  an  inch  and 
a  half  in  thickness  and  doweled  together.  Each 
room  has  a  fireplace  with  ornamental  iron  back,  a 
hearth  of  square  bricks  and  a  well-designed  wood 
mantel.  In  the  south  front  room  blue  tiles  depict- 
ing Elizabethan  knights  and  their  ladies  surround 
the  fireplace  opening.  Brass  handles  instead  of 
door  knobs  lend  distinction  to  the  hardware. 

Woodford  was  erected  in  1766  by  William  Cole- 
man, a  successful  merchant,  eminent  jurist  and  a 
friend  of  Franklin.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Com- 
mon Council  in  1739,  justice  of  the  peace  and  judge 
of  the  county  courts  in  175 1  and  judge  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania  from  1759  until 
his  death  ten  years  later. 

Coleman's  executors  sold  the  place  to  Alexander  Bar- 
clay, comptroller  of  His  Majesty's  Customs  at  Phila- 
delphia, and  the  grandson  of  Robert  Barclay  of  Ury, 
the  noted  Quaker  theologian  and  "Apologist." 

On  Barclay's  death  in  1771,  Woodford  became  the 

[20] 


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Georgian  Country  Houses  of  Brick 

home  of  David  Franks,  a  wealthy  Jewish  merchant 
and  one  of  the  signers  of  the  Non-Importation 
Resolutions  of  1765  by  which  a  large  body  of  lead- 
ing American  merchants  agreed  "not  to  have  any 
goods  shipped  from  Great  Britain  until  after  the 
repeal  of  the  Stamp  Act."  He  was  prominent  both 
socially  and  politically,  a  member  of  the  Provincial 
Assembly  in  1748  and  the  register  of  wills.  Prior 
to  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution,  he  was  the  agent 
of  the  Crown  in  Philadelphia  and  was  then  made 
commissary  of  the  British  prisoners  in  the  American 
lines.  In  1778,  however,  he  was  arrested  by  General 
Benedict  Arnold  for  attempting  to  transmit  a  letter 
harmful  to  the  American  cause,  deprived  of  his 
commission  and  property,  and  obliged  to  remove  to 
New  York  two  years  later. 

One  of  Franks'  daughters,  Abigail,  married  An- 
drew Hamilton  of  The  Woodlands,  afterwards  at- 
torney-general of  Pennsylvania.  Another  daughter, 
Rebecca,  married  General  Sir  Henry  Johnson,  who 
was  defeated  and  captured  by  General  Anthony 
Wayne  at  Stony  Point.  Rebecca  Franks  was  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  and  brilliant  women  of  her 
day.  Well  educated,  a  gifted  writer  and  fascinat- 
ing conversationalist,  witty  and  winsome,  she  was 
popular  in  society  and  one  of  the  belles  of  the  cele- 
brated "Mischianza",  which  was  given  May  18, 
1778,  by  the  British  officers  in  honor  of  General 
Lord  Howe  upon  his  departure  for  England.     This 

[21] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

was  a  feast  of  gayety  with  a  tournament  somewhat 
like  those  common  in  the  age  of  chivalry,  and  was 
planned  largely  by  Major  John  Andre,  who  was 
later  hanged  by  order  of  an  American  military  com- 
mission for  his  connection  with  the  treason  of 
General  Benedict  Arnold. 

Following  the  confiscation  of  Franks'  property 
in  1780,  Woodford  was  sold  to  Thomas  Paschall,  a 
friend  of  Franklin.  Later  it  was  occupied  for  a 
time  by  William  Lewis,  a  noted  advocate,  and  in 
1793  was  bought  by  Isaac  Wharton,  son  of  Joseph 
Wharton,  owner  of  Walnut  Grove  in  Southwark  at 
about  Fifth  Street  and  Walnut  Avenue,  where  the 
"Mischianza"  was  held.  A  son,  Francis  Rawle 
Wharton,  inherited  the  place  on  his  father's  death 
in  1798  and  was  the  last  private  owner.  In  1868 
the  estate  was  made  part  of  Fairmount  Park,  and 
since  1887  it  has  been  used  as  a  guardhouse. 

A  country  house  typical  of  the  time,  though  un- 
like most  other  contemporary  buildings  in  the  details 
of  its  construction,  is  Hope  Lodge  in  Whitemarsh 
Valley  on  the  Bethlehem  Pike  just  north  of  its 
junction  with  the  Skippack  Pike.  It  is  thoroughly 
Georgian  in  conception,  and  most  of  the  materials, 
including  all  of  the  wood  finish,  were  brought  from 
England.  The  place  reached  a  deplorable  state  of 
decay  several  years  ago,  yet  the  accompanying 
photograph  shows  enough  remaining  to  be  of  con- 
siderable architectural  interest. 

[22] 


Georgian  Country  Houses  of  Brick 

It  is  a  large,  square  house  two  and  a  half  stories 
high,  its  hipped  roof  broken  by  handsome  pedi- 
mental  dormers  with  round-topped  windows.  The 
front  is  of  brick  laid  up  in  characteristic  Flemish 
bond,  while  the  other  walls  are  of  plastered  rubble 
stone  masonry,  the  brickwork  and  stonework  being 
quoined  together  at  the  front  corners.  A  broad 
plaster  coving  is  the  principal  feature  of  the  simple 
molded  cornice,  and  one  notes  the  much  used  double 
belt  formed  by  two  projecting  courses  of  brick  at 
the  second-floor  level.  The  fenestration  differs  in 
several  respects  from  that  of  similar  houses  erected 
a  quarter  century  later.  The  arrangement  of  the 
ranging  windows  is  quite  conventional,  but  instead 
of  marble  lintels  above  them  there  are  nicely  gauged 
flat  brick  arches,!  while  the  basement  windows  are 
set  in  openings  beneath  segmental  relieving  arches 
with  brick  cores.  The  latter  are  reflected  in  effect 
by  the  recessed  elliptical  arches  above  all  the  windows 
in  the  walls  of  plastered  rubble  masonry.  The 
windows  themselves,  with  nine-paned  upper  and 
lower  sashes  having  unusually  heavy  muntins,  like- 
wise the  shutters  on  the  lower  story  and  the  heavy 
paneled  doors,  are  higher  and  narrower  than  was 
the  rule  a  few  years  later.  The  entrance,  with  its 
characteristic  double  doors,  is  reached  by  a  porch 
and  four  stone  steps,  its  low  hip  roof  with  molded 
cornice  being  supported  by  two  curious,  square, 
tapering   columns.     Porches    were   an    unusual    cir- 

[23] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

cumstance  in  the  neighborhood,  and  this  one  is  so 
unlike  any  others  of  Colonial  times  which  are  worthy 
of  note  as  to  suggest  its  having  been  a  subsequent 
addition.  Above,  a  round-arched  recess  with  pro- 
jecting brick  sill  replaces  the  conventional  Palladian 
window. 

'  Indoors,  an  exceptionally  wide  hall  extends  en- 
tirely through  the  house  from  front  to  back,  open- 
ing into  spacious  rooms  on  both  sides  through  round- 
topped  doorways  with  narrow  double  doors  heavily 
paneled.  An  elliptical  arch  supported  by  fluted 
pilasters  spans  the  hall  about  midway  of  its  length, 
and  a  handsome  staircase  ascends  laterally  from 
the  rear  part  after  the  common  English  manner  of 
that  day.  Throughout  the  house  the  woodwork  is 
of  good  design  and  execution,  the  paneled  wainscots, 
molded  cornices,  door  and  window  casings  all  being 
very  heavy,  and  the  broad  fireplaces  and  massive 
chimney  pieces  in  complete  accord.  Deep  paneled 
window  seats,  very  common  in  contemporary  houses, 
are  a  feature  of  the  first-floor  rooms.  The  kitchens 
and  the  servants'  quarters  are  located  in  a  separate 
building  to  the  rear,  a  brick-paved  porch  connect- 
ing the  two.  This  custom,  as  in  the  South,  was 
characteristic  of  the  locality  and  period. 

Hope  Lodge  was  erected  in  1723  by  Samuel  Morris, 
a  Quaker  of  Welsh  descent,  who  was  a  justice  of  the 
peace  in  Whitemarsh  and  an  overseer  of  Plymouth 
Meeting.     Morris    built    it    expecting    to    marry    a 

[24] 


Plate   X.  —  Glen   Fern,  on   Wissahickon   Creek,  Germantown. 

Erected  about  1747  by  Thomas  Shoemaker;  Grumble- 

thorpe,  5261  Germantown  Avenue,  Germantown. 

Erected  in  1744  by  John  Wister. 


Plate  XI.  —  Upsala,  Germantown  Avenue  and  Upsala  Streets, 

Germantown.     Erected  in  1798  by  John  Johnson; 

End  Perspective  of  Upsala. 


Georgian  Country  Houses  of  Brick 

young  Englishwoman  to  whom  he  had  become 
affianced  while  on  a  visit  to  England  with  his  mother, 
Susanna  Heath,  who  was  a  prominent  minister 
among  the  Friends.  The  wedding  did  not  occur, 
however,  and  Samuel  Morris  died  a  bachelor  in 
1772,  leaving  his  estate  to  his  brother  Joshua,  who 
sold  Hope  Lodge  in  1776  to  William  West.  In 
1784  West's  executors  conveyed  it  to  the  life  interest 
of  Colonel  James  Horatio  Watmough  with  a  rever- 
sion to  his  guardian,  Henry  Hope,  a  banker.  It  was 
Colonel  Watmough  who  named  the  place  Hope 
Lodge  as  a  compliment  to  his  guardian.  One  of 
his  daughters  married  Joseph  Reed,  son  of  General 
Joseph  Reed,  and  another  married  John  Sargent, 
the  famous  lawyer.  Both  the  Reeds  and  Sargents 
occupied  Hope  Lodge  at  various  times,  and  it  even- 
tually passed  into  the  Wentz  family. 

No  other  Colonial  country  house  of  brick  that 
now  remains  holds  an  interest,  either  architectural 
or  historic,  quite  equal  to  that  of  Stenton,  which 
stands  among  fine  old  oaks,  pines  and  hemlocks  in  a 
six-acre  park,  all  that  now  remains  of  an  estate  of 
five  hundred  acres  located  on  Germantown  Avenue 
on  the  outskirts  of  Germantown  near  the  Wayne 
Junction  railroad  station.  One  of  the  earliest  and 
most  pretentious  countryseats  of  the  neighborhood, 
it  combines  heavy  construction  and  substantial 
appearance  with  a  picturesque  charm  that  is  rare 
in   buildings  of  such  early  origin.     This   is   due  in. 

[25] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

part  to  the  brightening  effect  of  the  fenestration, 
with  many  small-paned  windows  set  in  white-painted 
molded  frames,  and  quite  as  much  to  the  slender 
trellises  between  the  lower-story  windows  support- 
ing vines  which  have  spread  over  the  brickwork 
above  in  the  most  fascinating  manner.  Both  features 
impart  a  lighter  sense  of  scale,  while  the  profusion 
of  white  wood  trim  emphasizes  more  noticeably 
the  delightful  color  and  texture  of  the  brickwork. 

The  house  is  a  great,  square,  hip-roofed  structure 
two  and  a  half  stories  high  with  two  large  square 
chimneys  and  severely  plain  pedimental  dormers. 
Servants'  quarters,  kitchens  and  greenhouses  are 
located  in  a  separate  gable-roof  structure  a  story 
and  a  half  high,  extending  back  more  than  a  hun- 
dred feet  from  the  main  house,  and  connected  with 
it  by  a  covered  porch  along  the  back.  In  the  kitchen 
the  brick  oven,  the  copper  boiler  and  the  fireplace 
with  its  crane  still  remain. 

The  walls  of  the  house  consist  of  characteristic 
brickwork  of  red  stretchers  and  black  headers  laid 
up  in  Flemish  bond,  with  square  piers  at  the  front 
corners  and  on  each  side  of  the  entrance,  and  there 
is  the  more  or  less  customary  projecting  belt  at  the 
second-floor  level.  On  the  second  story  the  windows 
are  set  close  up  under  the  heavy  overhanging  cor- 
nice, with  its  prominent  modillions,  while  on  the 
lower  story  there  are  relieving  arches  with  cores 
of  brick  instead  of  stone  lintels  so  common  on  houses 

[26] 


Georgian  Country  Houses  of  Brick 

a  few  decades  later.  There  are  similar  arches  over 
the  barred  basement  windows  set  in  brick-lined 
areaways.  Interesting  indeed  is  the  scheme  of 
fenestration.  Although  formal  and  symmetrical  on 
the  front,  the  windows  piercing  the  other  walls 
frankly  correspond  to  the  interior  floor  plan,  although 
ranging  for  the  most  part.  Unlike  the  usual  ar- 
rangement, there  are  two  widely  spaced  windows 
above  the  entrance,  while  the  narrow  flanking 
windows  either  side  of  the  doorway  may  be  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  earliest  instances  of  side  lights 
in  American  architecture.  The  severely  simple  en- 
trance with  its  high  narrow  paneled  doors  without 
either  knob  or  latch  is  reached  from  a  brick-paved 
walk  about  the  house  by  three  semicircular  stone 
steps  such  as  were  common  in  England  at  the  time, 
the  various  nicely  hewn  pieces  fastened  securely 
together  with  iron  bands. 

The  front  door  opens  into  a  large  square  hall 
with  a  brick-paved  floor  and  walls  wainscoted 
to  the  ceiling  with  white-painted  wood  paneling. 
There  is  a  fireplace  on  the  right,  and  beyond  an 
archway  in  the  rear  a  staircase  ascends  to  the  second 
floor.  To  the  right  of  the  hall  is  the  parlor,  also  with 
paneled  walls,  and  a  fireplace  surrounded  by  pink 
tiles.  In  the  wainscoted  room  back  of  this  the 
sliding  top  of  a  closet  offers  opportunity  for  a  person 
to  conceal  himself  and  listen  through  a  small  hole 
to  the  conversation  in  the  adjoining  hall.     To  the 

[27] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

left  of  the  hall  is  the  dining  room,  beautifully  wain- 
scoted and  having  a  built-in  cupboard  for  china 
and  a  fireplace  faced  with  blue  tiles.  The  iron  fire- 
back  bears  the  inscription  "J.  L.  1728."  Back  of 
this  through  a  passageway  is  a  small  breakfast 
room,  whence  an  underground  passage  for  use  during 
storms  or  sieges  leads  from  a  trap  door  in  the  floor 
to  the  barns. 

The  second-story  floor  plan  is  most  unusual.  The 
library,  a  great  long  room,  extends  entirely  across 
the  front  of  the  house,  with  its  range  of  six  windows 
and  two  fireplaces  on  the  opposite  wall,  one  faced 
with  blue  tiles  and  the  other  with  white.  Here, 
with  the  finest  private  collection  of  books  in  America 
at  that  time,  the  scholarly  owner  spent  his  declin- 
ing years,  the  library  going  to  the  city  of  Philadel- 
phia on  his  death.  Two  small  bedrooms,  each  with 
a  fireplace,  were  occupied  by  his  daughters.  A 
little  back  staircase  leads  to  the  third  floor,  where 
the  woodwork  of  the  chambers  was  unpainted. 

Stenton  was  erected  in  1728  by  James  Logan,  a 
scholar,  philosopher,  man  of  affairs,  the  secretary 
and  later  the  personal  representative  of  William 
Penn,  the  founder,  and  afterwards  chief  justice  of 
the  colony.  Descended  from  a  noble  Scottish 
family,  his  father  a  clergyman  and  teacher  who 
joined  the  Society  of  Friends  in  1761,  James  Logan 
himself  was  for  a  time  a  teacher  in  London,  but 
soon   engaged   in   the  shipping  trade.     In    169^  he 

[28] 


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Plate  XII.  —  The  Woodlands,  Blockley  Township,  West  Phila- 
delphia.    Erected  in  1770  by  William  Hamilton; 
Stable  at  The  Woodlands. 


Plate  XIII.  —  Wyck,  Germantown  Avenue  and  Walnut  Lane, 

Germantown.     Erected  by  Hans  Millan  about  1690;  Hall 

and  Entrance  Doorways,  Wyck. 


Georgian  Country  Houses  of  Brick 

came  to  America  with  William  Penn  as  his  secretary, 
and  on  Penn's  return  to  England  he  was  left  in 
charge  of  the  province.  Thereafter  Logan  became 
a  very  important  personage,  much  liked  and  fully 
trusted  by  all  who  knew  him,  including  the  Indians, 
with  whom  he  maintained  friendly  relations.  For 
half  a  century  he  was  a  mighty  factor  in  provincial 
affairs,  and  to  read  his  life  is  to  read  the  history  of 
Pennsylvania  for  that  period,  for  he  was  chief 
justice,  provincial  secretary,  commissioner  of 
property,  surveyor-general  and  president  of  the 
council.  His  ample  fortune,  amassed  in  commerce 
with  Edward  Shippen,  in  trade  with  the  Indians, 
and  by  the  purchase  and  sale  of  lands,  enabled  him 
to  live,  and  entertain  at  Stenton  in  a  princely  man- 
ner many  distinguished  American  and  European 
personages  of  that  day. 

When  Logan  died  in  1 75 1,  he  was  succeeded  by 
his  son  William,  who  continued  faithful  to  the  pro- 
prietary interests  and  carried  on  the  Indian  work. 
His  son,  Doctor  George  Logan,  was  the  next  pro- 
prietor during  the  Revolutionary  period.  Educated 
in  England  and  Scotland,  he  traveled  extensively  in 
Europe;  after  his  return  to  America  he  became  a 
member  of  the  Agricultural  and  Philosophical  Socie- 
ties and  was  elected  a  senator  from  Pennsylvania 
from  1 80 1  to  1807. 

During  Doctor  Logan's  occupancy  Washington, 
Jefferson,    Franklin    and   many   other   distinguished 

[29] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

American  and  European  personages  were  enter- 
tained at  Stenton.  It  was  Washington's  head- 
quarters on  August  23,  1777,  while  he  was  on  his 
way  to  the  Brandy  wine  from  Hartsville.  Ten 
years  later,  on  July  8,  1787,  he  came  again  as  Presi- 
dent of  the  Constitutional  Convention,  then  sitting 
in  Philadelphia,  to  see  a  demonstration  of  land 
plaster  on  grass  land  that  had  been  made  by  Doctor 
Logan. 

Sir  William  Howe  occupied  Stenton  as  his  head- 
quarters during  the  battle  of  Germantown,  October 
4,  1777,  and  on  November  22  ordered  it  destroyed, 
along  with  the  homes  of  other  "obnoxious  persons." 
The  story  of  its  narrow  escape  is  interesting.  Two 
dragoons  came  to  fire  it.  Meeting  a  negro  woman 
on  their  way  to  the  barn  for  straw,  they  told  her  she 
might  remove  the  bedding  and  clothing.  Mean- 
while a  British  officer  and  several  men  happened 
along,  inquiring  for  deserters,  whereupon  the  negro 
servant  with  ready  wit  said  that  two  were  hiding 
in  the  barn.  Despite  their  protests,  the  men  were 
carried  away  and  the  house  was  saved,  as  the  order 
to  fire  it  was  not  repeated. 

After  Doctor  Logan's  death  in  1821,  Stenton  was 
occupied  by  his  widow,  Deborah  Logan,  until  her 
death  in  1839,  when  it  passed  to  her  son  Albanus, 
an  agriculturalist  and  sportsman.  His  son  Gustavus 
was  the  last  private  owner,  as  the  house  was  acquired 
by  the  city  and  occupied  as  their  headquarters  by 

[30] 


Georgian  Country  Houses  of  Brick 

the  Colonial  Dames,  the  descendants  of  the  Logan 
family  removing  to  Loudoun  near  by. 

No  account  of  the  Colonial  houses  of  Philadel- 
phia would  be  reasonably  complete  which  failed  to 
include  the  home  of  Stephen  Girard.  Although  of 
scant  architectural  distinction,  it  is  of  interest 
through  its  association  with  one  of  the  chief  out- 
standing figures  of  a  city  noted  for  its  celebrated 
residents.  It  is  a  two-story  hip-roofed  structure, 
rather  narrow  but  of  exceptional  length,  taking  the 
form  of  two  plaster-walled  wings  on  opposite  sides 
of  a  central  portion  of  brick  having  a  pediment  spring- 
ing from  the  main  cornice  and  a  circular,  orna- 
mental window.  As  at  Hope  Lodge  a  broad  plaster 
coving  is  the  principal  feature  of  the  simple  cornice. 
The  windows  and  chimneys  differ  in  various  parts 
of  the  house,  and  the  doors  are  strangely  located, 
all  suggesting  alterations  and  additions.  The  cen- 
tral part  of  the  house  has  casement  sashes  with 
blinds  as  contrasted  with  Georgian  sashes  with 
paneled  shutters  elsewhere,  and  all  second-story 
windows  are  foreshortened. 

Stephen  Girard,  a  wealthy  and  eccentric  Phila- 
delphia merchant,  financier,  philanthropist  and  the 
founder  of  Girard  College,  was  born  near  Bordeaux, 
France,  in  1750,  the  son  of  a  sea  captain.  He  lost 
the  sight  of  his  right  eye  when  eight  years  old  and 
had  only  a  meager  education.  Beginning  a  sea- 
faring life  as  a  cabin  boy,  he  in  time  became  master 

1 31  ] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

and  part  owner  of  a  small  vessel  trading  between 
New  York,  New  Orleans  and  Port  au  Prince.     In 
May,  1776,  he  was  driven  into  the  port  of  Philadel- 
phia by  a  British  fleet  and  settled  there  as  a  mer- 
chant.    Gradually   he   built   up    a    fleet   of   vessels 
trading   with   New  Orleans   and   the   West    Indies, 
and  by  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  Girard  was  one 
of  the  richest  men  of  his  time,  and  he  used  his  wealth 
in  numerous  ways  to  benefit  the  nation  and  human- 
ity.    In  1 8 10  he  utilized  about  a  million  dollars  de- 
posited  with   the   Barings   of   London    to   purchase 
shares  of  the  much  depreciated  stock  of  the  Bank 
of  the  United  States,  which  materially  assisted  the 
government   in   bolstering   European    confidence    in 
its  securities.     When  the  bank  was  not  rechartered, 
Girard  bought  the  building  and  cashier's  house  for 
a  third  of  their  original  cost,   and   in  May,    181 2, 
established  the  Bank  of  Stephen  Girard.     In  18 14, 
when  the  government  needed  money  to  bring  the 
second  conflict  with   England   to  a  successful   con- 
clusion, he  subscribed  for  about  ninety-five  per  cent 
of  the  war  loan  of  five  million  dollars,  of  which  only 
twenty   thousand   dollars   besides   had   been   taken, 
and  he  generously  offered  to  the  public  at  par  shares 
which,  following  his  purchase,  had  gone  to  a  premium. 
Girard  showed  his  public  spirit  personally  as  well 
as  financially.     During  the  yellow  fever  epidemic 
in  Philadelphia  in  1793  and  in  1 797-1 798  he  took 
the  lead  in  relieving  the  poor  and  caring  for  the  sick. 

[32] 


/ 


Plate  XIV.  —  Mount  Pleasant,  Northern  Liberties,  Fairmount 

Park.     Erected  in  1761  by  Captain  James  Macpherson ;  The 

Main  House,  Mount  Pleasant. 


^ 


Plate  XV.  —  Deschler-Perot-Morris  House,  5442  Germantown 

Avenue,  Germantown.     Erected  in  1772  by  Daniel  Deschler; 

Vernon,  Vernon  Park,  Germantown.     Erected  in  1803  by 

James  Matthews. 


Georgian  Country  Houses  of  Brick 

He  volunteered  to  act  as  manager  of  the  hospital  at 
Bush  Hill  and  with  the  assistance  of  Peter  Helm  he 
cleansed  the  place  and  systemized  the  work. 

On  his  death  in  183 1,  Girard's  estate,  the  greatest 
private  fortune  in  America,  was  valued  at  about 
seven  and  a  half  million  dollars,  and  his  philanthropy 
was  again  shown  in  his  disposition  of  it.  Being 
without  heirs,  as  his  child  had  died  soon  after  its 
birth  and  his  beautiful  wife  had  died  after  many 
years  in  an  insane  asylum,  his  heart  went  out  to 
poor  and  orphan  children.  In  his  will  he  bequeathed 
#116,000  to  various  Philadelphia  charities  ;  $500,000 
to  the  city  for  improvement  of  the  Delaware  River 
front,  streets  and  buildings ;  $300,000  to  Pennsyl- 
vania for  internal  improvements,  especially  canals, 
and  the  bulk  of  the  estate  to  Philadelphia,  chiefly 
for  founding  and  maintaining  a  non-sectarian  school 
or  college,  but  also  for  providing  a  better  police 
system,  making  municipal  improvements  and  lessen- 
ing taxation.  The  college  was  given  for  the  support 
and  education  of  poor  white  male  orphans,  of  legiti- 
mate birth  and  character,  between  the  ages  of  six 
and  ten ;  and  it  was  specified  that  no  boy  was  to 
be  permitted  to  stay  after  his  eighteenth  year,  and 
that  as  regards  admission,  preference  was  to  be 
shown,  first  to  orphans  born  in  Philadelphia,  second 
to  orphans  born  in  any  other  part  of  Pennsylvania, 
third  to  orphans  born  in  New  York  City,  and  fourth 
to  orphans  born  in  New  Orleans. 

[33] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

Work  upon  the  buildings  was  begun  in  1833,  and 
the  college  was  opened  with  five  buildings  in  1848. 
The  central  one,  an  imposing  structure  in  the 
Corinthian  style  of  architecture  designed  by  Thomas 
Ustick  Walter,  has  been  called  "the  most  perfect 
Greek  temple  in  existence."  To  it  in  1851  were 
removed  the  remains  of  Stephen  Girard  and  placed 
in  a  sarcophagus  in  the  south  vestibule.  The  college 
fund,  originally  #5,260,000,  has  grown  to  more  than 
thirty-five  million  dollars ;  likewise  the  college  has 
become  virtually  a  village  in  itself.  Some  twenty 
handsome  buildings  and  residences,  valued  at  about 
three  and  a  half  million  dollars,  and  more  than 
forty  acres  of  land  accommodate  about  two  thou- 
sand students,  teachers  and  employes. 

Under  the  provisions  of  the  Girard  trust  fund 
nearly  five  hundred  dwelling  houses  have  been 
erected  by  the  city  in  South  Philadelphia,  all  heated 
and  lighted  by  a  central  plant  operated  by  the 
trustees,  and  more  than  seventy  million  tons  of  coal 
have  been  mined  on  property  belonging  to  his  es- 
tate. Few  philanthropists  have  left  their  money 
so  wisely  or  with  such  thoughtful  provisions  to 
meet  changing  conditions. 

Perhaps  the  brick  mansion  most  thoroughly 
representative  of  the  type  of  Georgian  country 
house,  of  which  so  many  sprang  up  about  Phila- 
delphia from  1760  to  1770,  is  Port  Royal  House  on 
Tacony  Street  between  Church  and  Duncan  streets 

[34] 


Plate  XVI.  —  Loudoun,  Germantown  Avenue  and  Apsley  Street, 

Germantown.     Erected  in  1801  by  Thomas  Armat; 

Solitude,  Blockley  Township,  Fairmount 

Park.     Erected  in  1785  by 

John  Penn,. 


Georgian  Country  Houses  of  Brick 

in  Frankford.  This  great  square,  hip-roofed  struc- 
ture with  its  quoined  corners  and  projecting  stone 
belt  at  the  second-floor  level ;  its  surmounting 
belvedere,  ornamental  dormers  and  great  chimney 
stacks ;  its  central  pediment  springing  from  a  heavy 
cornice  above  a  projecting  central  portion  of  the 
facade  in  which  are  located  a  handsome  Palladian 
window  and  characteristic  Doric  doorway;  its 
large,  ranging,  twenty-four-paned  windows  with 
keyed  stone  lintels  and  blinds  on  the  lower  story, 
is  in  brick  substantially  what  Mount  Pleasant  is 
in  plastered  stone,  as  will  be  seen  in  Chapter  V. 
As  in  the  latter,  a  broad  central  hall  extends  entirely 
through  the  -house,  and  the  staircase  is  located  in 
a  small  side  hall.  Hie  rooms  throughout  are  large 
and  contain  excellent  woodwork  and  chimney  pieces. 

'  Port  Royal  House  was  erected  in  1762  by  Edward 
Stiles,  a  wealthy  merchant  and  shipowner,  who 
like  many  others  emigrated  from  Bermuda  to  the 
Bahama  island  of  New  Providence  and  thence  to 
Philadelphia  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  to  engage  in  American  commerce.  He 
was  the  great-grandson  of  John  Stiles,  one  of  the 
first- 'settlers  of  Bermuda  in  1635,  and  the  son  of 
Daniel  Stiles,  of  Port  Royal  Parish,   a  vestryman 

arid  warden  of  Port  Royal  Church  and  a  member  of 
the  Assembly  of  Bermuda  in  1723.  Commerce 
between  the  American  colonies    and  Bermuda   and 

the  West  Indies  was  extensive,  and  Stiles'  business 

[«] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

prospered.  He  had  a  store  in  Front  Street  between 
Market  and  Arch  streets,  and  a  town  house  in  Wal- 
nut Street  between  Third  and  Fourth  streets.  In 
summer,  like  other  men  of  his  station  and  affluence, 
he  lived  at  his  countryseat,  surrounded  by  many 
slaves,  on  an  extensive  plantation  in  Oxford  town- 
ship, near  Frankford,  that  he  had  purchased  from 
the  Wain  family.  To  it  he  gave  the  name  Port 
Royal  after  his  birthplace  in  Bermuda. 

To  Edward  Stiles  in  1775  befell  the  opportunity 
to  carry  relief  to  the  people  of  Bermuda,  then  in 
dire  distress  because  their  supplies  from  America 
had  been  cut  off  by  the  Non-Importation  Agree- 
ment among  the  American  colonies.  In  response 
to  their  petition  to  the  Continental  Congress,  per- 
mission was  granted  to  send  Stiles'  ship,  the  Sea 
Nymph  (Samuel  Stobel,  master),  laden  with  pro- 
visions to  be  paid  for  by  the  people  of  Bermuda  either 
in  gold  or  arms,  ammunition,  saltpeter,  sulphur  and 
fieldpieces. 

During  the  occupation  of  Philadelphia  by  the 
British  in  1777  and  1778,  Frankford  became  the 
middle  ground  between  the  opposing  armies  and 
subject  to  the  depredations  of  both.  Port  Royal 
House,  like  many  other  estates  of  the  vicinity,  was 
robbed  of  its  fine  furniture,  horses,  slaves  and  pro- 
visions. 

Under  the  will  of  Edward  Stiles  his  slaves  were 
freed   and  educated   at  the  expense  of  his   estate. 

[36] 


Georgian  Country  Houses  of  Brick 

In  1853  the  Lukens  family  bought  Port  Royal 
House  and  for  several  years  a  boarding  school  was 
conducted  there.  As  the  manufacturing  about 
Frankford  grew,  the  locality  lost  its  desirability  as 
a  place  of  residence.  The  house  was  abandoned 
to  chance  tenants  and  allowed  to  fall  into  an  ex- 
ceedingly delapidated  condition.  The  accompany- 
ing photograph,  however,  depicts  enough  of  its 
former  state  to  indicate  that  in  its  day  it  was  among 
the  best  brick  country  residences  of  the  vicinity. 


[37] 
52137 


CHAPTER   III 
CITY  RESIDENCES   OF   BRICK 

A  S  the  city  of  Philadelphia  grew  and  became 
/"\  more  densely  populated,  land  values  increased 
greatly,  and  the  custom  developed  of  building  brick 
residences  in  blocks  fronting  directly  on  the  street, 
the  party  walls  being  located  on  the  side  property 
lines.  Like  the  country  houses  already  described, 
these  were  laid  up  in  Flemish  bond  with  alternating 
red  stretcher  and  black  header  bricks,  and  thus  an 
entire  block  presented  a  straight,  continuous  wall, 
broken  only  by  a  remarkably  regular  scheme  of 
doorways  and  fenestration,  and  varied  only  by  slight 
differences  in  the  detail  of  doors  and  windows, 
lintels,  cornices  and  dormers.  These  plain  two-  or 
three-story  brick  dwellings  in  long  rows,  in  street 
after  street,  with  white  marble  steps  and  trimmings, 
green  or  white  shutters,  each  intended  for  one 
family,  have  been  perpetuated  through  the  inter- 
vening years,  and  now  as  then  form  the  dominant 
feature  of  the  domestic  architecture  of  the  city 
proper. 

For  the  most  part  these  were  single-front  houses, 
that  is  to  say,  the  doorway  was  located  to  the  right 

i[  38 !] 


City  Residences  of  Brick 

or  left  with  two  windows  at  one  side,  while  on  the 
stories  above  windows  ranged  with  the  doorway, 
making  three  windows  across  each  story.  There 
were  exceptions,  however,  the  so-called  Morris 
house  at  Number  225  South  Eighth  Street  being  a 
notable  example  of  a  characteristic  double-front 
house  of  the  locality  and  period.  They  were  gable- 
roof  structures  with  high  chimneys  in  the  party 
walls,  foreshortened,  third-story  windows  and  from 
one  to  three  dormers  piercing  the  roof. 

At  the  end  of  the  block  the  wall  was  often  carried 
up  above  the  ridge  between  a  pair  of  chimneys  and 
terminated  in  a  horizontal  line,  imparting  greater 
stability  to  the  chimney  construction  and  lending 
an  air  of  distinction  to  the  whole  house,  which  was 
further  enhanced  by  locating  the  entrance  directly 
beneath  in  the  end  wall  rather  than  in  the  side  of 
the  building.  The  famous  old  Wistar  house  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  Fourth  and  Locust  streets  is  a 
case  in  point. 

Pedimental  dormers  were  the  rule,  sometimes  with 
round-headed  windows.  Elaborate  molded  wood 
cornices  were  a  feature,  often  with  prominent,  even 
hand-tooled  modillions.  Slightly  projecting  belts  of 
brick  courses,  marble  or  other  stone  marked  the 
floor  levels,  and  keyed  stone  lintels  were  customary, 
although  in  some  of  the  plainer  houses  the  window 
frames  were  set  between  ordinary  courses  of  brick- 
work,   without    decoration    of   any    sort.     Most   of 

[39] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

the  windows  had  either  six-  or  nine-paned  upper  and 
lower  sashes  with  third-story  windows  foreshortened 
in  various  ways.  There  were  paneled  shutters  at 
the  first-story  windows  and  often  on  the  second  story 
as  well,  although  blinds  were  sometimes  used  on 
the  second  story  and  rarely  on  the  third.  The  high, 
deeply  recessed  doorways,  with  engaged  columns 
or  fluted  pilasters  supporting  handsome  entablatures 
or  pediments,  and  beautifully  paneled  doors,  often 
with  a  semicircular  fanlight  above,  were  charac- 
teristic of  most  Philadelphia  entrances.  Before 
them,  occupying  part  of  the  sidewalk,  was  a  single 
broad  stone  step,  or  at  times  a  stoop  consisting  of  a 
flight  of  three  or  four  steps  with  a  simple  wrought- 
iron  handrail,  sometimes  on  both  sides,  but  often 
on  only  one  side.  Other  common  obstructions  in 
the  sidewalk  were  areaways  at  one  or  two  basement 
windows  and  a  rolling  way  with  inclined  double 
doors  giving  entrance  from  the  street  to  the  base- 
ment. 

Many  of  these  city  residences  were  of  almost 
palatial  character,  built  by  wealthy  merchants  and 
men  in  political  life  who  thought  it  expedient  to 
live  near  their  wharves  and  countinghouses  or 
within  easy  distance  of  the  seats  of  city,  provincial 
and  later  of  national  government.  Beautiful  gar- 
dens occupied  the  backyards  of  many  such  dwellings, 
affording  veritable  oases  in  a  desert  of  bricks  and 
mortar,  yet  many  of  the  more  affluent  citizens  main- 

[4o] 


City  Residences  of  Brick 

tained  countryseats  along  the  Schuylkill  or  else- 
where in  addition  to  their  town  houses. 

The  location  of  many  of  these  early  city  dwellings 
of  brick  was  such  that  as  the  city  grew  they  became 
undesirable  as  places  of  residence.  Business  en- 
croached upon  them  more  and  more,  so  that,  ex- 
cept for  houses  which  have  remained  for  generations 
in  the  same  family  or  have  historic  interest  sufficient 
to  have  brought  about  their  preservation  by  the 
city,  relatively  few  still  remain  in  anything  like 
their  original  condition.  Of  the  quaint  two-  and 
three-story  dwellings  of  modest  though  delightfully 
distinctive  character,  which  once  lined  the  narrow 
streets  and  alleys,  most  have  become  squalid  tene- 
ments and  small  alien  stores,  or  else  have  been 
utilized  for  commercial  purposes.  To  walk  through 
Combes  Alley  and  Elfret  Alley  is  to  sense  what 
once  was  and  to  realize  the  trend  of  the  times,  but 
there  is  much  material  for  study  in  these  rapidly 
decaying  old  sections  that  repay  a  visit  by  the 
architect  and  student. 

Happily,  however,  one  of  these  typical  little 
streets  is  to  be  perpetuated  in  something  like  its 
pristine  condition.  Camac  Street,  "the  street  of 
little  clubs  ",  has  become  one  of  the  unique  features 
of  the  city,  —  a  typically  American  "Latin  Quarter." 
To  enter  this  little,  narrow,  rough-paved  alley, 
running  south  from  Walnut  Street  between  Twelfth 
and    Thirteenth    streets,    is    like    stepping    back    a 

[41] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

century  or  more.  The  squatty  little  two  and  a  half 
story  houses  with  picturesque  doorways  and  dormer 
windows  have  become  the  homes  of  numerous  clubs 
representing  the  best  art  interests  of  the  city.  Poor 
Richard  Club,  Plastic  Club,  Sketch  Club,  Coin 
d'Or  and  Franklin  Inn  are  among  the  names  to 
be  seen  painted  on  the  signs  beside  the  doors.  The 
houses  and  their  gardens  in  the  rear  have  been 
restored  and  provide  excellent  club,  exhibition  and 
lecture  rooms,  at  the  same  time  preserving  some  fine 
examples  of  a  rapidly  passing  type  of  early  Ameri- 
can architecture.  Would  that  a  similar  course 
might  be  taken  by  local  societies  in  every  large 
American  city  where  a  wealth  of  Colonial  archi- 
tecture exists  ! 

Among  the  fine  old  single-front  houses  of  par- 
ticular interest  which  have  suffered  through  the 
encroachment  of  business  upon  the  former  residen- 
tial sections  of  the  city  are  the  Blackwell  house, 
Number  224  Pine  Street,  and  the  Wharton  house, 
Number  336  Spruce  Street. 

The  former  was  in  many  respects  the  most  ele- 
gant residence  in  Philadelphia,  built  almost  without 
regard  to  cost  by  a  man  of  great  wealth,  whose  taste 
and  refinement  called  for  luxurious  living  and  a 
beautiful  home.  The  interior  woodwork  surpassed 
in  design  and  execution  anything  to  be  found  else- 
where in  the  city.  Many  of  the  doorways  had 
fluted  pilasters,  heavily  molded  casings  and  carved 

[42] 


City  Residences  of  Brick 

broken  pediments.  The  doors  were  of  mahogany 
as  was  likewise  the  wainscoting  of  the  staircases. 
The  sides  of  the  rooms  where  fireplaces  were  located 
were  completely  paneled  to  the  ceiling,  and  above 
the  fireplace  openings  were  narrow  panels  on  which 
were  hunting  scenes  done  in  mastic.  Some  years 
ago  much  of  this  beautiful  woodwork  was  removed, 
and  to-day,  despoiled  of  its  former  architectural 
splendor,  dingy  and  dilapidated,  the  shell  of  the 
building  is  used  as  a  cigar  factory. 

The  house  was  built  about  1765  by  John  Stamper, 
a  wealthy  English  merchant,  who  had  been  suc- 
cessively councilman,  alderman  and  finally  mayor 
of  Philadelphia  in  1759.  He  bought  the  whole 
south  side  of  Pine  Street  from  Second  to  Third  from 
the  Penns  in  1761,  and  for  many  years  the  house 
was  surrounded  by  a  garden  containing  flowers, 
shrubs  and  fruit  trees.  Later  the  house  passed  into 
the  hands  of  Stampers  son-in-law,  William  Bingham, 
Senior,  and  afterwards  to  Bingham's  son-in-law, 
the  Reverend  Doctor  Robert  Blackwell. 

Doctor  Blackwell  was  the  son  of  Colonel  Jacob 
Blackwell,  of  New  York,  who  owned  extensive 
estates  on  Long  Island  along  the  East  River,  Black- 
well's  Island  being  included.  After  graduating  from 
Princeton,  Robert  Blackwell  studied  first  medicine 
and  then  theology.  After  several  years  of  tutor- 
ing at  Philipse  Manor,  he  was  ordained  to  the 
ministry  and  served  the  missions  at  Gloucester  and 

[43] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

St.  Mary's,  Colestown,  New  Jersey.  When  both 
congregations  were  scattered  by  the  Revolution, 
he  joined  the  Continental  Army  at  Valley  Forge 
as  both  chaplain  and  surgeon.  In  1870  he  married 
Hannah  Bingham,  whose  considerable  fortune,  added 
to  the  estate  of  his  father  which  he  soon  after  in- 
herited, made  him  the  richest  clergyman  in  America 
and  one  of  the  richest  men  in  Philadelphia.  The 
following  year  he  was  called  to  assist  Doctor  White, 
the  rector  of  Christ  Church  and  St.  Peter's,  and  to 
the  latter  Doctor  Blackwell  chiefly  devoted  himself 
until  his  resignation  in  181 1  due  to  failing  health. 
It  was  the  services  of  these  united  parishes  which 
Washington,  his  Cabinet  and  members  of  Congress 
attended  frequently.  On  Doctor  Blackwell's  death 
in  183 1  the  house  passed  into  the  Willing  family 
and  has  since  changed  owners  many  times. 

The  Wharton  house,  Number  336  Spruce  Street, 
was  built  in  1796  by  Samuel  Pancoast,  a  house 
carpenter,  who  sold  it  to  Mordecai  Lewis,  a  promi- 
nent merchant  in  the  East  India  trade,  shipowner, 
importer  and  one-time  partner  of  William  Bingham, 
the  brother-in-law  of  Doctor  Blackwell,  and  whose 
palatial  mansion  in  Third  Street  above  Spruce  was 
one  of  the  most  exclusive  social  centers  of  the  city. 
Mordecai  Lewis  was  a  director  of  the  Bank  of  North 
America,  the  Philadelphia  Contributorship  for  the 
Insurance  of  Houses  from  Loss  by  Fire,  the  Phila- 
delphia   Library,    and   the   treasurer   of   the   Penn- 

[44] 


City  Residences  of  Brick 

sylvania  Hospital.  Much  of  the  currency  issued 
by  the  Continental  Congress  of  1776  bore  his  name. 
Although  a  member  of  the  volunteer  military  com- 
pany, he  was  never  in  active  service. 

Following  his  death  in   1799  the  house  was  sold 
by   his   executors    in    1809   to   his    son,    Samuel   N. 
Lewis,   also  a   successful   merchant  of  great  public 
spirit.     In  1817  the  younger  Lewis  sold  the  house  to 
Samuel    Fisher,    another   merchant   and    prominent 
Friend   noted   for  his   hospitality   and   his   charity, 
especially    toward    negroes    and    Indians.     Because 
of   his    neutrality    during   the    Revolution,    he   was 
exiled  to  Virginia  from   1777  until   1779,  when  he 
was    arrested   because   of   a   business    letter   to   his 
partner  in  New  York  which  was  regarded  as  antag- 
onistic to  the  government.     He  was  committed  to 
the  "Old  Gaol",  and  after  refusing  bail  was  tried 
and  because  of  the  clamor  of  the  mob  was  sentenced 
to  imprisonment  for  the  duration  of  the  war.     Soon 
afterward,  however,  a  pardon  was  offered  him,  which 
he  refused,  and  two  years  later  he  left  prison  by  invita- 
tion without  terms,  his  health  broken.     His  wedding 
gift  to  his  daughter,  Deborah,  on  her  marriage  to 
William  Wharton   in    1817,   was   the   Spruce  Street 
house,  which  has  ever  since  borne  Wharton's  name. 
William  Wharton  was  the  son  of  Charles  Wharton, 
who,  with  his  wife,  Hannah,  devoted  themselves  to 
a  religious  life  among  the  Friends.     Deborah  Whar- 
ton, William  Wharton's  wife,  became  a  prominent 

[45] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

minister  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  traveling  ex- 
tensively in  the  interests  of  Indian  welfare  and 
giving  generously  of  her  ample  means  to  various 
philanthropic  causes.  She  was  one  of  the  early 
managers  of  Swarthmore  College,  as  has  been  a 
descendant  in  each  generation  of  the  family  since 
that  time.  Of  her  ten  children,  Joseph  Wharton, 
also  a  prominent  Friend,  was  owner  of  the  Bethle- 
hem Steel  Works  and  one  of  the  most  successful 
ironmasters  in  the  country.  A  liberal  philanthropist, 
he  founded  the  Wharton  School  of  Finance  and 
Economy  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  and 
was  for  many  years  president  of  the  board  of  mana- 
gers of  Swarthmore  College.  On  his  mother's  death 
in  1888  the  Spruce  Street  house  came  into  his  pos- 
session and  is  still  owned  by  his  estate.  Although 
rented  as  a  rooming  house,  it  remains  in  a  fair  state 
of  preservation. 

The  Wistar  house,  at  the  southwest  corner  of 
Fourth  and  Locust  streets,  to  which  architectural 
reference  has  previously  been  made,  was  built  about 
1750  and  for  nearly  three  quarters  of  a  century 
thereafter  was  the  scene  of  constant  hospitality  and 
lavish  entertainment.  Here  lived  Doctor  William 
Shippen,  whose  marriage  to  Alice,  the  daughter  of 
Thomas  Lee,  of  Virginia,  and  the  sister  of  Richard 
Henry  and  Arthur  Lee,  was  one  of  the  numerous 
alliances  which  drew  the  county  families  of  Vir- 
ginia   and    Maryland   into   close   relationship   with 

[46] 


sat*       ^—4  LJ 

f 

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fit 

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1 

£ 


1  fl&;*hg£ 


Plate  XX.  —  Bartram  House,  Kingsessing,  West  Philadelphia. 

Erected  in  1730-31  by  John  Bartram;  Old  Green  Tree 

Inn,  6019  Germantown  Avenue,  Germantown. 

Erected  in  1748. 


Plate    XXI.  —  Johnson    House,    6306    Germantown    Avenue, 
Germantown.     Erected  in  1765-68  by  Dirck  Jansen ; 
Billmeyer  House,  Germantown  Avenue,  Ger- 
mantown.    Erected  in  1727. 


City  Residences  of  Brick 

Philadelphia  families.  Doctor  Shippen's  home 
quickly  became  the  resort  of  the  Virginia  aristocracy 
when  visiting  the  national  capital,  and  in  conse- 
quence there  was  a  constant  succession  of  balls  and 
dinners  during  the  winter  season. 

In  1799  the  house  was  occupied  by  Doctor  Caspar 
Wistar,  the  eminent  anatomist,  known  to  the  elite 
of  the  city  and  nation  for  his  brilliant  social  gather- 
ings and  as  the  man  for  whom  that  beautiful  climb- 
ing plant,  the  Wistaria,  was  named.  Doctor  Wis- 
tar's  geniality,  magnetism,  intellectual  leadership 
and  generous  hospitality  made  his  home  a  gathering 
place  for  the  most  distinguished  personages  of  his 
day  in  the  professions,*  arts,  sciences,  letters  and 
politics.  Since  he  held  a  chair  at  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania  and  carried  on  an  extensive  private 
practice,  the  demands  upon  his  time  were  great, 
but  Sunday  evenings,  and  later  on  Saturday  eve- 
nings, he  was  at  home  to  his  friends,  who  formed  the 
habit  of  calling  regularly  in  numbers  from  ten  to 
fifty  and  often  bringing  new-found  friends,  sure  of 
a  hearty  welcome,  brilliant  conversation  and  choice 
refreshments.  And  so  began  one  of  the  cherished 
institutions  of  Philadelphia,  the  Wistar  Parties, 
which  were  continued  after  the  doctor's  death  in 
1 818  by  Wistar's  friends  and  their  descendants. 
The  Civil  War  brought  an  interruption,  but  in 
1886  the  gatherings  were  again  resumed;  few  of 
the  distinguished  visitors  to  the  city  failed  to  be 

[47] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

invited  to  attend,  and,  having  attended,  to  praise 
most  highly  the  exceptional  hospitality  shown  them. 
During  Doctor  Wistar's  lifetime  the  personnel  of 
the  parties  gradually  became  substantially  the 
membership  of  that  world-famous  scientific  organi- 
zation, the  Philosophical  Society,  and  later  member- 
ship in  that  society  became  requisite  to  eligibility 
for  the  Wistar  Parties. 

By  far  the  handsomest  old  city  residence  of  brick 
that  remains  in  anything  like  its  original  condition 
is  the  so-called  Morris  house  at  Number  225  South 
Eighth  Street  between  Walnut  and  Spruce  streets. 
Although  not  built  until  very  shortly  after  the 
struggle  for  American  independence  had  been  won, 
it  is  pre-Revolutionary  in  character  and  Colonial 
in  style  throughout.  In  elegance  and  distinction 
the  facade  is  unexcelled  in  early  American  city 
architecture.  Unlike  most  houses  of  the  time  and 
locality,  it  has  a  double  front  with  two  windows 
each  side  of  a  central  doorway,  a  range  of  five  win- 
dows on  the  second  and  third  floors  and  three  simple 
dormers  in  the  gable  roof  above.  The  windows 
have  twelve-paned  upper  and  lower  sashes  with 
paneled  shutters  on  the  first  and  second  stories, 
and  foreshortened  eight-paned  upper  and  lower 
sashes  without  shutters  on  the  third  story. 

The  brickwork  is  of  characteristic  Flemish  bond 
with  alternating  red  stretcher  and  black  header 
bricks.     Two  slightly  projecting  courses,  two  courses 

[48] 


City  Residences  of  Brick 

apart,  form  horizontal  belts  at  the  second-  and  third- 
floor  levels,  while  the  first  thirteen  courses  above 
the  sidewalk  level  project  somewhat  beyond  the 
wall  above  and  are  laid  up  in  running  bond,  every 
sixth  course  being  a  tie  course  of  headers.  Beauti- 
fully tooled,  light  stone  lintels  with  fine-scale  radial 
scorings  greatly  enhance  the  beauty  of  the  fenestra- 
tion. Each  lintel  appears  to  consist  of  seven  gauged 
or  keyed  pieces  each,  but  is  in  reality  a  single  stone, 
the  effect  being  secured  by  deep  scorings.  A  heavy 
molded  cornice  and  handsome  gutter  spouts  com- 
plete the  decorative  features  apart  from  the  chaste 
pedimental  doorway  with  its  fluted  pilasters  and 
dainty  fanlight,  which  is  mentioned  again  in  another 
chapter.  A  rolling  way  and  areaways  at  the  base- 
ment windows  pierce  the  wall  at  the  sidewalk  level 
after  the  manner  of  the  time.  Indoors,  the  hall 
extends  entirely  through  the  house  to  a  door  in  the 
rear  opening  upon  a  box-bordered  garden  with  rose 
trees  and  old-fashioned  flowers.  There  is  a  parlor 
on  the  right  of  the  hall  and  a  library  on  the  left. 
Back  of  the  latter  is  the  dining  room,  while  the 
kitchen  and  service  portion  of  the  house  are  located 
in  an  L  extension  to  the  rear. 

As  indicated  by  two  marble  date  stones  set  in  the 
third-story  front  wall  just  below  the  cornice,  this 
house  was  begun  in  1786  and  finished  in  1787  by 
John  Reynolds.  Some  years  later  it  was  purchased 
at  a  sheriff's  sale  by  Ann  Dunkin,  who  sold  it  in 

[49] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

1 817  to  Luke  Wistar  Morris,  the  son  of  Captain 
Samuel  Morris.  Since  that  time  it  has  remained 
in  the  Morris  family,  and  its  occupants  have  main- 
tained it  in  splendid  condition.  Much  beautiful 
old  furniture,  silver  and  china  adorn  the  interior, 
most  of  the  pieces  having  individual  histories  of 
interest ;  in  fact,  the  place  has  become  a  veritable 
museum  of  Morris  and  Wistar  heirlooms.  Within 
a  few  years  the  two  old  buildings  that  formerly 
adjoined  the  house  to  the  right  and  left  were  re- 
moved so  that  the  house  now  stands  alone  with  a 
garden  space  at  each  side  behind  a  handsome 
wrought-iron  fence. 

An  enthusiastic  horseman  and  sportsman,  Samuel 
Morris  was  until  his  death  in  18 12  president  of  the 
Gloucester  Fox  Hunting  Club  in  which  originated 
in  November,  1774,  the  Philadelphia  Troop  of  Light 
Horse,  better  known  as  the  City  Troop,  the  oldest 
military  organization  in  the  United  States.  In 
1775  Morris  was  a  member  of  the  Committee  of 
Safety,  and  throughout  the  Revolution  he  served 
as  captain  of  the  City  Troop  and  as  a  special  agent 
for  Washington,  in  whose  esteem  he  stood  high. 
Later  he  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  a  member  of 
the  Pennsylvania  assembly  from  1781  to  1783. 
A  handsome  china  punch  bowl  presented  to  Captain 
Samuel  Morris  by  the  members  of  the  Gloucester 
Fox  Hunting  Club  is  one  of  the  most  prized  posses- 
sions in  the  Morris  house. 

[50] 


City  Residences  of  Brick 

Any  book  devoted  to  the  Colonial  houses  of 
Philadelphia  might  perhaps  be  considered  incom- 
plete that  failed  to  include  the  quaint  little  two  and 
a  half  story  building  at  Number  229  Arch  Street, 
with  its  tiny  store  on  the  street  floor  and  dwelling 
on  the  floors  above.  Devoid  of  all  architectural 
pretension  and  showing  the  decay  of  passing  years, 
it  is  nevertheless  typical  of  the  modest  shop  and 
house  of  its  day,  and  it  interests  the  visitor  still 
more  as  the  home  of  Betsy  Ross,  who  for  many 
years  was  popularly  supposed  to  have  made  the 
first  American  flag.  Betsy  Ross  was  the  widow  of 
John  Ross,  a  nephew  of  one  of  the  signers  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence,  who  had  conducted 
an  upholsterer's  business  in  the  little  shop.  For  v-^" 
a  time  after  his  death  she  supported  herself  as  a 
lace  cleaner  and  by  continuing  the  business  of  her 
husband. 

The  romantic  tradition  goes,  unsupported  by 
official  record,  that,  Congress  having  voted  in  June, 
1777,  for  a  flag  of  thirteen  stripes,  alternate  red 
and  white,  with  thirteen  white  stars  in  a  blue  field, 
the  committee  in  charge  consulted  with  Washington, 
then  in  Philadelphia,  concerning  the  matter.  Know- 
ing Mrs.  Ross,  Washington  led  the  way  to  her 
house  and  explained  their  mission.  In  her  little 
shop  under  their  eyes  she  cut  and  stitched  together 
cloths  of  the  three  colors  we  love  so  well  and  soon 
produced  the  first  version  of  the  Stars  and  Stripes. 

tsi-l 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

The  tale  is  a  pretty  one,  and  it  is  a  pity  that  it 
should  not  be  based  on  some  good  foundation, 
especially  as  the  records  show  that  subsequently 
Betsy  Ross  did  make  numerous  flags  for  the  govern- 
ment. How  the  story  started  is  unknown,  but 
none  of  the  historians  who  have  given  the  matter 
any  attention  believe  it.  John  H.  Flow  in  "The 
True  Story  of  the  American  Flag"  condemns  it 
utterly,  and  the  United  States  Government  refused 
to  adopt  the  Betsy  Ross  house  as  a  national  monu- 
ment after  a  thorough  investigation.  Notwith- 
standing the  facts,  however,  this  ancient  little  build- 
ing still  continues  to  be  a  place  of  interest  to  many 
tourists  every  year. 


[52] 


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CHAPTER  IV 

LEDGE-STONE   COUNTRY  HOUSES 

THE  use  of  natural  building  materials  available 
on  or  near  the  site,  when  they  are  suitable 
or  can  be  made  so,  always  elicits  hearty  commenda- 
tion ;  it  gives  local  color  and  distinctive  character. 
And  so  we  look  with  particular  admiration  at  the 
fine  old  countryseats  of  local  rock-face  and  sur-t. 
faced  stone  which  abound  in  the  neighborhood roi 
Philadelphia,  especially  at  Germantown,  finding 
among  them  the  most  homelike  and  picturesque 
stone  dwellings  of  the  past  and  the  best  prototypes 
for  present-day  adaptation.  Nowhere  can  one  dis- 
cover better  inspiration  for  rock-face  stonework, 
and  nowhere  have  the  architects  of  to-day  more 
successfully  preserved  and  developed  the  best  local 
traditions  of  Colonial  times. 

Wherein  lies  the  superlative  picturesque  appeal 
of  the  typical  ledge  stonework  of  Germantown  ? 
As  distinguished  from  surfaced  stonework,  it 
possesses  that  flexibility  in  use  so  essential  to  the 
many  and  varied   requirements  of  domestic  archi- 

[53] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

tecture  imposed  by  the  personality  and  mode  of 
living  of  the  owner.  In  a  measure  this  ready  adapta- 
bility is  due  to  the  irregular  lines  and  rock  face  of 
the  stone  itself,  so  pleasing  in  scale,  color  and  texture, 
and  so  completely  in  harmony  with  the  natural 
landscape.  But  to  a  far  greater  extent  it  is  due  to 
the  fact  that  its  predominant  lines  are  horizontal, 
the  line  of  repose  and  stability.  Ledge  stone,  long 
and  narrow,  laid  up  in  broken  range,  with  the  top 
and  bottom  beds  approximately  level,  but  with  end 
joints  as  the  stone  works  naturally,  has  an  even 
more  marked  horizontal  effect  than  brick,  clap- 
boarded  or  shingled  walls  that  tends  to  a  surprising 
degree  to  simulate  the  impression  of  greater  breadth 
of  the  entire  mass. 

Such  matters  as  color,  surface  texture  and  the 
bond  or  pattern  formed  by  the  shape  of  the  stones 
and  their  arrangement  in  the  wall  are  the  refine- 
ments of  stonework ;  the  essentials  are  strength 
and  durability  of  the  stone  itself  and  stability  of 
the  wall.  And  this  stability  should  be  apparent  as 
well  as  actual.  The  integrity  of  stonework  depends 
upon  its  ability  to  stand  alone,  and  nothing  except 
high-cost  surfaced  stone  is  so  readily  conducive  to 
handsome,  honest  masonry  as  the  natural  ledge 
stone  of  greater  Philadelphia.  A  consistent  wall 
should  be  of  sound  construction  without  the  aid  of 
mortar,  the  mission  of  which  is  to  chink  the  joints 
and  make  the  structure  weather-tight. 

[S4l 


Ledge-Stone   Country   Houses 

Many  different  examples  of  stonework,  both  the 
pointed  and  unpointed,  stand  virtually  side  by  side 
for  comparison  about  Philadelphia.  Several  methods 
of  pointing  have  been  employed.  There  is  the  flush 
pointing  and  the  ridge  or  weathered  type  commonly 
known  as  Colonial  or  "barn"  pointing.  Of  them 
all,  however,  a  method  of  laying  and  pointing  gen- 
erally referred  to  as  the  Germantown  type  has 
been  most  widely  favored.  It  lends  itself  par- 
ticularly well  to  the  Colonial  style  of  house  now  so 
popular,  the  broad  lines  of  the  white  pointing  bring- 
ing the  gray  stone  into  pleasing  harmony  with  the 
white  woodwork. 

The  pointing  itself  is  much  like  the  Colonial  or 
"barn"  pointing  already  referred  to, — the  wide 
open  joints  being  filled  with  mortar  brought  well  to 
the  surface  of  the  stones  and  smoothed  off  by  the 
flat  of  the  trowel  with  little  regard  to  definiteness 
of  line,  after  which  about  one-fourth  of  the  width 
of  the  pointing  is  cut  sharply  away  at  the  bottom 
so  as  to  leave  a  sloping  weathered  edge  considerably 
below  the  center  of  the  joint.  This  is  sometimes  left 
as  cut,  in  order  to  preserve  a  difference  in  texture, 
or  is  gone  over  with  a  trowel,  either  free  hand  or 
along  a  straightedge,  to  give  a  more  finished  ap- 
pearance or  more  pronounced  horizontal  line  effect. 

Generally  gray  in  effect,  a  ledge-stone  wall  pro- 
vides a  delightful  neutral  background  against  which 
trellises   of   roses,   wistaria,   honeysuckle   and   other 

[S5l 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

flowering  climbers  delight  the  eye,  and  to  which 
the  spreading  English  ivy  clings  in  the  most  charm- 
ing intimacy.  White-painted  woodwork,  however, 
furnishes  its  prime  embellishment,  —  doors,  win- 
dows, porches,  dormers  and  such  necessary  appur- 
tenances of  comfortable  living  punctuating  its  vari- 
ous parts  with  high  lights  which  brighten  the  effect, 
balance  the  form  and  mass  and  lend  distinctive 
character.  One  has  but  to  examine  the  accom- 
panying illustrations  of  a  few  notable  homes  of  the 
Colonial  period  to  appreciate  the  undeniable  charm  of 
white-painted  woodwork  in  a  setting  of  ledge  stone. 
In  the  midst  of  virgin  forest  at  the  end  of  Livezey's 
Lane  in  Germantown  on  the  banks  of  Wissahickon 
Creek,  stands  Glen  Fern,  more  commonly  known 
as  the  Livezey  house,  with  numerous  old  buildings 
near  by  which  in  years  past  were  mills,  granaries 
and  cooper  shops.  The  house  is  of  typically  pic- 
turesque ledge-stone  construction  and  interesting 
arrangement,  consisting  of  three  adjoining  gable- 
roof  structures  in  diminishing  order,  each  with  a 
single  shed-roof  dormer  in  its  roof.  It  is  located 
on  a  garden  terrace  with  ledge-stone  embankment 
wall  and  steps  leading  up  to  the  door,  which  orig- 
inally had  seats  at  each  side,  while  a  balcony  above 
was  reached  by  the  door  in  the  second  story.  Two 
and  a  half  stories  high  and  having  a  chimney  at 
each  end,  the  main  house  attracts  attention  chiefly 
for  its   quaint   fenestration,   with   two  windows   on 

[56] 


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Ledge- Stone   Country   Houses 

one  side  of  the  door  and  one  on  the  other,  the  fore- 
shortened twelve-paned  windows  of  the  second 
story  placed  well  up  under  the  eaves,  the  first- 
story  windows  having  six-paned  upper  and  nine- 
paned  lower  sashes.  As  usual,  there  are  shutters 
for  the  first-  and  blinds  for  the  second-story  windows. 

A  winding  stairway  leads  upward  from  a  rather 
small  hall.  White-paneled  wainscots  and  fireplaces 
surrounded  by  dark  marble  adorn  each  of  the  prin- 
cipal rooms,  while  the  great  kitchen  fireplace,  in  an 
inglenook  with  a  window  beside  a  seat  large  enough 
to  accommodate  several  persons,  was  the  "courtin' 
corner"  of  three  generations  of  the  Livezey  family. 

The  old  grist  mill  on  Wissahickon  Creek,  orig- 
inally a  considerable  stream,  was  built  by  Thomas 
Shoemaker,  and  in  1747  conveyed  by  him  to  Thomas 
Livezey,  Junior,  who  operated  it  the  rest  of  his 
life  and  lived  at  Glen  Fern  near  by.  The  builder's 
father,  Jacob  Shoemaker,  who  gave  the  land  upon 
which  the  Germantown  Friends'  Meeting  House 
stands  at  Coulter  and  Main  streets,  came  to  this 
country  with  Pastorius  in  the  ship  America  in  1682 
and  became  sheriff  of  the  town  in  1690.  Thomas 
Livezey,  the  progenitor  of  the  Livezey  family,  and 
the  great-grandfather  of  Thomas,  Junior,  came 
from  England  in  1680,  and  the  records  show  that  he 
served  on  the  first  grand  jury  of  the  first  court  held 
in  the  province,  January  2,  1681. 

Thomas  Livezey,  Junior,  the  miller,  was  a  public- 

[57] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

spirited  and  many-sided  man.  Something  of  a 
wag  and  given  to  writing  letters  in  verse,  his  life 
also  had  its  more  serious  side.  Besides  being  one 
of  the  founders  and  a  trustee  of  the  Union  School- 
house  of  Germantown,  now  Germantown  Academy, 
he  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  a  provincial  com- 
missioner in  1765.  Being  a  Friend,  he  took  no  part 
in  the  struggle  for  independence,  although  his  provo- 
cation was  great. 

For  safety's  sake  the  girls  of  the  family,  with 
the  eatables  and  drinkables,  were  often  locked  up 
in  the  cellars  during  the  occupany  of  Germantown 
by  the  British.  On  one  occasion  British  soldiers 
came  to  the  house  and  demanded  food,  and  being 
told  by  one  of  the  women  that  after  cooking  all  day 
she  was  too  weary  to  prepare  it,  one  of  the  soldiers 
struck  off  the  woman's  ear  with  his  sword.  An 
officer  appeared  presently,  however,  demanded  to 
know  who  had  done  so  dastardly  a  thing  and  in- 
stantly split  the  culprit's  head  with  his  saber. 

Livezey  cultivated  a  large  farm  on  the  adjoining 
hillsides,  and  a  dozen  bottles  of  wine  from  his  vine- 
yard, forwarded  by  his  friend  Robert  Wharton, 
elicited  praise  from  Benjamin  Franklin. 

Farmers  brought  their  grain  hither  for  miles 
around,  and. the  mill  prospered.  Gradually  a  large 
West  Indian  trade  was  built  up  in  flour  contaminated 
with  garlic  and  unmarketable  in  Philadelphia,  the 
ships  returning  with  silk,  crepes  and  beautiful  china, 

[58] 


Ledge-Stone   Country  Houses 

so  that  Livezey's  son  John  became  a  prominent 
Philadelphia  merchant.  Another  son,  Thomas,  con- 
tinued to  run  the  mill,  which  about  the  time  of  the 
Civil  War  was  converted  to  the  manufacture  of 
linseed  oil.  In  1869  the  entire  property  was  pur- 
chased for  Fairmount  Park,  and  Glen  Fern  is  now 
occupied  by  the  Valley  Green  Canoe  Club,  which 
has  restored  it  under  the  direction  of  John  Livezey. 

Opposite  the  famous  Chew  house  on  German- 
town  Avenue,  amid  a  luxurious  setting  of  splendid 
trees,  clinging  ivy  and  box-bordered  gardens,  stands 
Upsala,  one  of  the  finest  examples  of  the  Colonial 
architecture  of  Philadelphia.  A  great,  square  two 
and  a  half  story  house  with  a  gable  roof,  three  hand- 
some dormers  in  front,  a  goodly  sized  chimney  toward 
either  end,  and  an  L  in  the  rear,  it  speaks  eloquently 
of  substantial  comfort.  Like  many  houses  of  the 
time  and  place,  the  facade  is  of  faced  stone  carefully 
pointed,  while  the  other  walls  are  of  exceptionally 
pleasing  ledge  stone,  the  two  kinds  of  masonry  being 
quoined  together  at  the  corners. 

The  pointing  of  the  stonework  is  a  very  informal 
variation  of  the  modern  Germantown  type,  —  flat- 
trowel  pointed  with  little  regard  to  definiteness  of 
line.  The  wide  joints  are  more  appropriate  in 
scale  and  taste  than  the  ridge  or  weathered  type,  in 
that  they  harmonize  better  with  the  generally  broad 
effect  of  the  house  and  the  white-painted  wood  trim 
of  numerous  windows  and  doors. 

[59] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

Keyed  lintels  and  window  sills  of  marble  ac- 
centuate the  fenestration,  and  the  facade  is  further 
enriched  by  a  handsome  cornice  and  marble  belt 
at  the  second-floor  level.  Four  marble  steps  give 
approach  to  the  high,  pedimental  porch  before  a  door 
of  delightful  grace  and  dignity.  As  was  often  the 
case,  there  are  white-painted  shutters  at  the  lower 
windows  and  green-painted  blinds  at  the  upper. 

The  gable  ends  of  the  house  are  interesting  in 
their  fenestration,  with  a  fanlight  of  delightful 
pattern  above  and  between  two  ordinary  windows ; 
one  notices  with  interest  that  the  returns  of  the 
eaves  are  carried  entirely  across  the  ends  of  the 
house  from  front  to  back,  after  the  manner  of  the 
characteristic  penthouse  roof. 

Within,  a  broad  hall  extends  through  the  house, 
an  archway  at  the  foot  of  the  winding  staircase 
being  its  most  striking  feature.  Two  rooms  on 
each  side  contain  handsome  mantels,  paneled  wain- 
scots and  other  beautiful  wood  finish. 

As  indicated  by  the  date  stone  in  one  of  the 
gables,  Upsala  was  begun  in  1798  by  John  Johnson, 
Junior,  who  inherited  the  land  from  his  grandfather, 
also  named  John  Johnson,  and  was  some  three  years 
in  the  building.  It  is  located  near  the  corner  of 
Upsal  Street  on  part  of  a  tract  of  land  that  orig- 
inally extended  from  Germantown  Avenue,  then 
Germantown  Road,  to  the  township  line  at  Wissa- 
hickon    Avenue.     The    house    stands    on    the    spot 

[60] 


Ledge- St  one   Country   Houses 

where  the  Fortieth  Regiment  of  the  British  Army- 
was  encamped,  and  where  later  General  Maxwell's 
cannon  were  planted  to  assail  the  Chew  house  at 
the  Battle  of  Germantown.  It  has  been  succes- 
sively occupied  by  Norton  Johnson,  Doctor  William 
N.  Johnson  and  Miss  Sallie  W.  Johnson,  all  de- 
scendants of  the  builder. 

Like  Upsala,  Grumblethorpe,  at  Number  526 
Main  Street,  Germantown,  opposite  Indian  Queen 
Lane,  displays  ledge-stone  walls  except  for  its 
facade,  which  is  plastered,  and  it  has  the  same  re- 
turns of  the  eaves  like  a  penthouse  roof  across  the  ■ 
gables.  This  large  two  and  a  half  story  house  stands 
directly  on  the  sidewalk  and  has  areaways  at  the 
sunken  basement  windows  like  many  modern  houses. 
A  sturdy  chimney  at  either  end  and  two  dormers 
with  segmental  topped  windows  are  the  features  of 
the  roof.  The  high  recessed  doorway,  with  its 
broad  marble  lower  step  in  the  brick  sidewalk,  is 
located  so  that  there  are  three  windows  to  the  left 
and  only  two  to  the  right.  An  interesting  feature 
of  the  fenestration  is  the  use  of  wide  twelve-paned 
windows  on  the  first  story  and  of  narrower  and 
higher  eighteen-paned  windows  on  the  second. 
Again  there  are  shutters  on  the  lower  story  and 
blinds  above.  This  variation  in  the  windows  of 
different  stories  is*  by  no  means  an  uncommon 
feature  of  Philadelphia  houses,  and,  as  in  tnis  in- 
stance, often  came  about  as  the  result  of  alterations. 

[61] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

Grumblethorpe  was  built  in  1744  by  John  Wister, 
who  came  to  Philadelphia  from  Germany  in  1727 
and  developed  a  large  business  in  cultivating  black- 
berries, making  and  importing  wine  in  Market 
Street  west  of  Third.  "Wister's  Big  House"  was 
the  first  countryseat  in  Germantown.  Originally 
it  differed  materially  from  its  present  outward 
appearance.  There  were  no  dormers,  and  the  garret 
was  lighted  only  at  the  ends.  Across  the  front  and 
sides  of  the  house  the  second-floor  level  was  marked 
by  a  penthouse  roof,  broken  over  the  entrance  by  a 
balcony  reached  by  a  door  from  the  second  story. 
To  the  right  of  the  entrance  there  were  two  windows, 
as  at  present ;  to  the  left  there  was  a  smaller  door 
with  a  window  at  each  side  of  it.  Both  doors  were 
divided  into  upper  and  lower  sections  and  had  side- 
long seats  outside.  In  the  course  of  repairs  and 
alterations  in  1808  the  penthouse  roof  and  balcony, 
also  the  front  seats,  were  removed,  the  upper  and 
smaller  lower  doors  were  replaced  by  windows,  and 
the  front  of  the  house  was  pebble  dashed. 

A  long  wing  extends  back  from  the  main  house, 
and  beyond  is  a  workshop  with  many  old  tools  and 
a  numerous  collection  of  interesting  clocks  in  various 
stages  of  completion.  Still  farther  back  is  an  ob- 
servatory with  its  telescope,  also  a  box-bordered 
formal  garden  in  which  still  stands  a  quaint  rain 
gauge.  Indoors,  the  hall  and  principal  rooms  are 
spacious  but  low  studded,  with  simple  white-painted 

[62] 


Ledge- Stone   Country   Houses 

woodwork,  and  in  the  kitchen  a  primitive  crane 
supporting  ancient  iron  pots  still  remains  in  the 
great  fireplace.  Much  fine  old  furniture,  many- 
rare  books  and  numerous  curios  enhance  the  in- 
terest and  beauty  of  the  interiors. 

Many  men  illustrious  in  art,  science  and  litera- 
ture shared  Wister's  hospitality.  His  frequent  visi- 
tors included  Gilbert  Stuart,  the  artist ;  Christopher 
Sower,  one  of  the  most  versatile  men  in  the  colonies ; 
Thomas  Say,  the  eminent  entomologist  and  presi- 
dent of  the  Philadelphia  Academy  of  Natural 
Sciences  ;  Parker  Cleveland,  author  of  the  first  book 
on  American  mineralogy;  James  Nichol,  the  cele- 
brated geologist  and  writer,  and  many  other  famous 
personages.  Quite  as  many  unknown  persons  came 
to  Grumblethorpe,  however,  for  bread  was  baked 
every  Saturday  for  distribution  to  the  poor. 

During  the  Battle  of  Germantown,  Grumble- 
thorpe was  the  headquarters  of  General  Agnew  of 
the  British  Army,  and  in  the  northwest  parlor  he 
died  of  wounds,  staining  the  floor  with  his  blood, 
the  marks  of  which  are  still  visible.  In  the  same 
room  Major  Lenox,  who  occupied  the  house  in  1779, 
was  married.  Major  Lenox  was  at  various  .times 
marshal  of  the  United  States  for  the  District  of 
Pennsylvania,  director  and  president  of  the  United 
States  Bank,  and  the  representative  of  the  United 
States  at  the  Court  of  St.  James. 

John  Wister's   eldest   son,   Daniel,   a   prosperous 

[63] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

merchant,  inherited  the  property,  and  it  was  his 
daughter  who  wrote  Sally  Wister's  well-known  and 
charming  "Journal ",  the  original  manuscript  of 
which  is  among  the  many  treasures  of  this  charm- 
ing old  house. 

It  was  Daniel  Wister's  son,  Charles  J.  Wister,  who 
built  the  observatory  and  developed  the  beautiful 
formal  garden  back  of  the  house.  Upon  retiring 
from  business  in  1819  he  devoted  himself  to  science, 
notably  botany  and  mineralogy,  upon  which  sub- 
jects he  lectured  at  the  Germantown  Academy,  of 
which  he  was  secretary  of  the  board  of  trustees  for 
thirty  years. 

In  1865  the  place  came  into  the  hands  of  Charles  J. 
Wister,  Junior,  an  artist,  writer  and  Friend  of  high 
repute,  who,  like  his  father,  was  for  many  years 
identified  with  Germantown  Academy.  On  his 
death  in  1910  Grumblethorpe  was  shared  by  his 
nephews,  Owen  Wister,  the  novelist,  and  Alexander 
W.  Wister,  neither  of  whom  resides  there. 

One  of  the  noblest  old  ledge-stone  mansions  of 
the  vicinity  is  The  Woodlands,  located  on  high 
ground  along  the  bank  of  the  Schuylkill  River  in 
Blockley  Township,  West  Philadelphia.  It  was 
formerly  the  countryseat  of  the  Hamilton  family, 
from  which  a  district  of  West  Philadelphia  east  of 
Fortieth  Street  and  south  of  Market  Street  took 
the  name  of  Hamilton  Village.  Many  years  ago 
the  grounds  of  The  Woodlands  became  a  cemetery, 

[64] 


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Ledge- Stone   Country   Houses 

and  the  house  is  now  occupied  by  the  superintendent 
and  contains  the  cemetery  offices.  While  the  gay 
society  of  a  century  and  a  quarter  ago  is  lacking 
the  place  still  retains  much  of  its  former  beauty  and 
state. 

Of  essentially  Georgian  character,  the  house  is 
still  more  strongly  reminiscent  of  many  planta- 
tion mansions  of  the  South.  It  has  an  entrance 
front  to  the  north  and  a  river  or  garden  front  to 
the  south,  while  the  kitchen  arrangements  are  well 
concealed.  Between  two  semicircular  bays  that 
project  from  the  ends  of  the  building  on  the  entrance 
front,  six  Ionic  pilasters  support  a  broad  and  elab- 
orately ornamented  pediment,  its  chief  features 
being  the  notching  of  the  shingles,  the  circular 
window  and  the  frieze  with  groups  of  vertical  flut- 
ings  in  alternation  with  large  round  flower  orna- 
ments. A  broad  paved  terrace  three  steps  above 
the  drive  extends  across  the  front  from  one  bay  to 
the  other  and  gives  approach  to  a  round-arched 
central  doorway  with  handsome  leaded  fanlight 
beneath  a  segmental  hood  supported  by  round  en- 
gaged Ionic  columns.  This  doorway  leads  into  the 
hall. 

On  the  river  front  a  lofty  pedimental-roofed 
portico  centrally  located  and  supported  by  six  great 
smooth  pillars  is  of  distinctly  southern  aspect. 
Another  round-arched  doorway  flanked  by  two 
round-topped  windows  opens  directly  into  an  oval- 

165] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

shaped  ballroom.  The  beautiful  Palladian  windows 
on  either  side  of  this  facade  and  recessed  within  an 
arch  in  the  masonry  are  among  the  chief  distinc- 
tions of  the  house.  An  examination  of  them  in- 
dicates as  convincingly  as  any  modern  work  the 
delightful  accord  that  may  exist  between  gray  stone 
and  white  woodwork,  and  draws  attention  to  the 
masonry  itself.  The  use  of  relatively  small  stones 
has  resulted  in  an  unconventional  though  pleasing 
wall  effect,  due  to  the  prominence  and  rough  char- 
acter of  the  pointing  which  has  been  brought  well 
out  to  the  edges  of  the  stones. 

A  word  may  well  be  said  in  passing  in  regard  to 
the  stable  at  The  Woodlands,  which,  while  rightly 
unassuming,  lives  in  complete  accord  with  the 
house,  as  every  outbuilding  should.  A  hip-roofed 
structure  with  lean-to  wings,  it  is  essentially  a 
Georgian  conception.  Its  walls  are  of  ledge  stone 
like  the  house,  broken  by  a  symmetrical  arrange- 
ment of  recessed  arches  in  which  the  various 
doors  and  windows  are  set,  and  further  embellished 
by  a  four-course  belt  of  brick  at  the  second-floor 
level. 

The  Woodlands  was  built  in  1770  by  William 
Hamilton  on  an  estate  purchased  in  1735  by  his 
grandfather,  Andrew  Hamilton,  the  first  of  that 
name  in  America.  It  is  the  second  house  on  the 
site,  the  first  having  made  way  for  the  present 
spacious  structure  which  was  designed  to  give  ex- 

[66] 


Ledge-Stone   Country  Houses 

pression  to  the  tastes  and  desires  of  its  builder. 
William  Hamilton  was  one  of  the  wealthiest  men  of 
his  day  and  loved  display  and  the  role  of  a  lavish 
host.  Maintaining  a  large  retinue  of  servants  and 
living  in  a  style  surpassing  that  of  most  of  his  neigh- 
bors, his  dinner  parties  and  other  social  gatherings 
were  attended  by  the  most  eminent  personages  of 
the  time.  A  man  of  culture  and  refinement,  he 
accumulated  many  valuable  paintings  and  rare 
books,  and  his  gardens,  greenhouse  and  grounds 
were  his  particular  pride  and  joy.  To  a  large 
collection  of  native  American  plants  and  shrubs  he 
added  many  exotic  trees  and  plants.  To  him  is 
credited  the  introduction  of  the  Ginkgo  tree  and 
the  Lombardy  poplar  to  America. 

William  Hamilton  was  a  nephew  of  Governor 
James  Hamilton,  by  whose  permission,  granted  to 
William  Hallam  and  his  Old  American  Company  of 
strolling  players,  the  drama  was  established  in 
Philadelphia  in  1754,  despite  the  strong  opposition 
of  the  Friends.  William  Hamilton  raised  a  regi- 
ment in  his  neighborhood  to  assist  in  the  Revolu- 
tion, but  being  opposed  to  a  complete  break  with 
the  mother  country,  resigned  his  commission  upon 
the  signing  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 
Following  the  evacuation  of  Philadelphia  by  the 
British  he  was  arrested,  charged  with  assisting 
the  British  forces  and  tried  for  high  treason,  but 
was  acquitted  and  allowed  to  retain  possession  of 

[67] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

his  estates,  which  were  duly  inherited  by  his  family 
on  his  death  in  1811. 

These  charming  old  ledge-stone  mansions,  and 
others  of  lesser  architectural  merit  and  historical 
association,  too  numerous  for  description  here, 
constitute  the  chief  distinction  of  Philadelphia 
architecture.  Whereas  the  city  residences  of  brick 
differ  little  from  those  of  several  other  not  far  dis- 
tant places,  and  the  country  houses  of  that  material 
recall  many  similar  ones  in  Delaware,  Maryland 
and  even  Virginia,  the  ledge-stone  house  of  greater 
Philadelphia  is  a  thing  unto  itself.  It  has  no  parallel 
in  America.  Of  substantial  character  and  pos- 
sessed of  rare  local  color,  it  combines  with  pic- 
turesque appearance  those  highly  desirable  qualities 
of  permanence  and  non-inflammability.  It  is  the 
ideal  construction  for  suburban  Philadelphia  where 
the  necessary  building  material  abounds  and  new 
homes  can  live  in  accord  with  the  old. 


[68  1 


Plate  XXX.  —  Doorway,  Doctor  Denton's  House,  Germantown. 


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CHAPTER  V 
PLASTERED   STONE   COUNTRY  HOUSES 

IT  is  quite  possible  to  preserve  random  shapes 
and  rock  faces  in  stonework  that  is  struc- 
turally good,  yet  still  fail  in  a  measure  to  please 
the  eye  and  satisfy  the  artistic  sense.  A  house 
built  of  stones  which,  although  irregular  and  of 
variable  size,  are  generally  cubical  in  shape  and 
set  with  obvious  painstaking  to  simulate  a  casual 
yet  remarkably  systematic  arrangement,  never  fails 
to  be  clumsy  and  patchy.  A  case  in  point  is  Waynes- 
borough  in  Easttown  Township,  Chester  County, 
erected  in  1724  by  Captain  Isaac  Wayne.  Greame 
Park,  erected  in  Horsham  Township,  Montgomery 
County,  by  Sir  William  Keith  five  years  after  he 
was  appointed  governor  of  Penn's  Colony  in  171 7, 
instances  another  unsuccessful  use  of  stonework 
and  effectively  explodes  the  pet  notion  of  the  indis- 
criminate that  everything  which  is  old  is  therefore 
good.  The  promiscuous  use  of  rough,  long,  quarried 
stones,  square  blocks  and  narrow  strips  on  end  re- 
sults in  an  utterly  irrational  effect,  a  confusing 
medley  of  short  lines. 

[69] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

Going  to  the  other  extreme,  the  use  of  stones  so 
small  and  irregular  as  to  suggest  a  "crazy-quilt" 
mosaic  rather  than  structural  stonework  is  equally 
displeasing.  This  scheme  unquestionably  lends  tex- 
ture to  the  wall,  but  it  attracts  too  much  attention 
to  itself  to  the  detriment  of  such  architectural 
features  as  doors,  windows  and  other  wood  trim 
intended  to  provide  suitable  embellishment  as  well 
as  to  fulfill  the  practical  requirements  of  daily  use. 
Inasmuch  as  rubble  used  in  this  manner  becomes 
merely  an  aggregate  in  a  concrete  wall,  the  consist- 
ent thing  to  do  is  to  consider  it  as  such  and  give 
the  wall  an  outside  finish  or  veneer  of  rough  plaster. 
This  fact  was  recognized  and  often  acted  upon  by 
the  early  Philadelphia  builders  wherever  the  stone 
readily  available  did  not  make  an  attractive  wall. 
A  few  of  the  best  examples  extant  serve  to  indicate 
that  houses  of  this  sort  have  all  the  charm  of  the 
modern  stucco  structure  built  over  hollow  tile. 

Perhaps  the  most  picturesque  of  the  old  houses  of 
this  type  is  Wyck  at  Germantown  Avenue  and 
Walnut  Lane,  Germantown,  a  long,  rambling  struc- 
ture of  rubble  masonry  with  an  outside  veneer  of 
rough  white  plaster  standing  end  to  the  street. 
Although  Colonial  in  detail  and  partaking  to  a 
degree  of  the  general  character  of  its  neighbors,  the 
ensemble  presents  a  rare  blending  of  European  in- 
fluences with  American  construction.  Vine-clad  trel- 
lises on  the  entrance  front,  a  long  arbor  on  the  gar- 

[70] 


Plastered  Stone   Country   Houses 

den  front,  box-bordered  flower  beds  and  a  profusion 
of  shade  trees  and  shrubs  all  help  to  compose  a 
picture  of  rare  charm  in  which  leading  American 
architects  have  often  found  inspiration  for  modern 
work. 

Wyck  is  probably  the  oldest  building  in  German-1 
town  and  certainly  quaint  of  appearance,  consider- 
ing its  age,  for  it  has  been  preserved  as  nearly  as 
possible  in  its  early  condition.  The  oldest  part 
was  built  about  1690  by  Hans  Millan.  Later 
another  house  was  built  near  by  on  the  opposite 
side  of  an  old  Indian  trail,  and  subsequently  the 
two  were  joined  together,  a  wide,  brick-paved  wagon 
way  running  beneath  the  connecting  structure. 
This  passage  has  since  been  closed  in  to  form  a 
spacious  hallway  with  wide  double  doors  and  a 
long  transom  above,  the  outer  doors  being  wood 
paneled  and  the  inner  ones  glazed. 

Of  romantic  interest  is  the  use  of  this  great  hall 
of  Wyck  as  a  hospital  and  operating  room  after 
the  Battle  of  Germantown,  and  later,  in  1825,  as 
the  scene  of  a  reception  tendered  to  La  Fayette, 
following  his  breakfast  at  Cliveden,  when  the  towns- 
people were  presented  to  him  by  Charles  J.  Wister. 
The  doorway  to  the  right,  with  its  molded  jambs, 
plain,  four-paned  transom  and  paneled  door  divided 
in  the  middle  like  many  of  the  neighborhood,  is  of 
the  most  modest  order,  yet  its  simple  lines  and 
good   proportions,   together  with   the   green   of  the 

[71] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

climbing  vines  about  it,  in  contrast  with  the  white 
plaster  walls,  makes  a  strong  appeal  to  everybody 
of  artistic  appreciation.  „,  The  position  of  the  knob 
indicates  the  size  of  the  great  rim  lock  within,  while 
the  graceful  design  of  the  .brass  knocker  is  justly  one 
of  the  most  popular  to-day. 

Wyck  has  never  been  sold,  but  has  passed  from 
one  owner  to  another  by  inheritance  through  the 
Jansen  and  Wistar  families  to  the  Haines  family, 
in  which  it  has  since  remained.  One  of  its  owners, 
Caspar  Wistar,  in  1740  established  the  first  glass- 
works in  America  at  Salem,  New  Jersey. 

The  most  notable  house  of  plastered  stone  masonry, 
and  one  of  the  noblest  countryseats  in  the  vicinity  of 
Philadelphia,  is  Clunie,  later  and  better  known  as 
Mount  Pleasant,  located  in  the  Northern  Liberties, 
Fairmount  Park,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Schuylkill 
River  only  a  little  north  of  the  Girard  Avenue  bridge. 
To  see  it  is  to  appreciate  more  fully  the  princely 
mode  of  country  living  in  which  some  of  the  most 
distinguished  citizens  of  the  early  metropolis  of 
the  colonies  indulged. 

Standing  on  high  ground  and  commanding  broad 
views  both  up  and  down  the  stream,  the  house  is 
of  truly  baronial  mien  and  Georgian  character. 
Two  flanking  outbuildings,  two  and  a  half  stories 
high,  hip-roofed  and  dormered,  some  forty  feet 
from  each  end  of  the  main  house  and  corresponding 
with  it  in  character  and  construction,  provide  the 

[72] 


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Plastered  Stone   Country   Houses 

servants'  quarters  and  various  domestic  offices. 
Beyond  the  circle  formed  by  the  drive  on  the  east 
or  entrance  front  of  the  house  and  at  some  distance 
to  either  side  are  two  barns.  Thus  the  house  be- 
comes the  central  feature  in  a  strikingly  picturesque 
group  of  buildings  having  all  the  manorial  impres- 
siveness  of  the  old  Virginia  mansions  along  the  James 
River. 

The  main  house  rises  two  and  a  half  stories  above 
a  high  foundation  of  hewn  stone  with  iron-barred 
basement  windows  set  in  stone  frames.  It  is  of 
massive  rubble-stone  masonry,  coated  with  yellowish- 
gray  rough-cast  and  having  heavy  quoined  corners 
of  red  brick,  also  a  horizontal  belt  of  the  same  ma- 
terial at  the  second-floor  level,  the  keyed  lintels  of  the 
large  ranging  windows,  however,  being  of  faced  stone. 

Above  a  heavy  cornice  with  prominent  modillions 
springs  the  hipped  roof,  pierced  on  both  sides  by 
two  handsome  dormers  and  surmounted  by  a  long, 
beautifully  balustraded  belvedere.  Two  great  brick 
chimney  stacks,  one  at  each  end  of  the  building, 
with  four  arched  openings  near  the  top,  lend  an 
aspect  of  added  dignity  and  solidity.  The  princi- 
pal feature  of  the  facade  on  both  the  east  and  west 
or  river  front  is  the  slightly  projecting  central  por- 
tion with  its  quoined  corners,  surmounting  corniced 
pediment  springing  from  the  eaves,  ornate  Palladian 
windows  in  the  second  story  and  superb  pedimental 
doorway  in  harmony  with   the  pedimental   motive 

[73] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

above.  Although  the  detail  is  heavy,  and  free  use 
has  been  made  of  the  orders,  the  work  is  American 
Georgian  at  its  best  and  altogether  admirable.  The 
doorways  of  the  two  sides  are  similar  but  not  the 
same,  and  a  comparison,  as  found  in  another  chapter, 
is  most  interesting. 

Within,  a  broad  hall  extends  entirely  through  the 
house  from  one  front  to  the  other,  as  likewise  does 
a  spacious  drawing-room  on  the  north  side  with  an 
elaborate  chimney  piece  in  the  middle  of  the  outside 
wall.  The  dining  room  occupies  the  west  front,  and 
back  of  it,  in  an  L  extension  from  the  hall,  a  hand- 
some staircase  with  gracefully  turned  balustrade 
leads  to  the  bedrooms  on  the  second  floor.  Through- 
out the  interior  the  wood  finish  is  worthy  of  the 
exterior  trim.  Beautifully  tooled  cornices,  grace- 
ful pilasters,  nicely  molded  door  and  window  cas- 
ings, heavy  pedimental  doorheads,  —  all  are  of 
excellent  design  and  more  carefully  wrought  than 
in  average  Colonial  work.  Finest  of  all,  perhaps, 
is  a  chamber  on  the  second  floor  overlooking  the 
river  that  must,  according  to  the  very  nature  of 
things,  have  been  the  boudoir  of  the  mistress  of 
Mount  Pleasant.  The  architectural  treatment  of 
the  fireplace  end  of  this  room,  with  exquisite  carv- 
ing above  the  overmantel  panel  and  above  the  closet 
doors  at  each  side,  is  greatly  admired  by  all  who  see  it. 

The  erection  of  Mount  Pleasant  was  begun  late 
in    1761    by   John   Macpherson,    a    sea    captain   of 

[74] 


Plastered  Stone   Country   Houses 

Clunie,  Scotland,  who  amassed  a  fortune  and  lost 
an  arm  in  the  adventurous  practice  of  privateering. 
Here  he  lived  in  manorial  splendor,  entertaining 
the  most  eminent  personages  of  the  day  with  mu- 
nificent hospitality  and  employing  himself  with 
numerous  ingenious  inventions,  notably  a  practical 
device  for  moving  brick  and  stone  houses  intact. 
He  wrote  on  moral  philosophy,  lectured  on  astronomy 
and  published  the  first  city  directory  in  1785,  a 
unique  volume  giving  the  names  in  direct  house-to- 
house  sequence  and  having  such  notations  as,  "I 
won't  tell  you",  "What  you  please",  and  "Cross 
woman"  against  street  numbers  where  he  found  the 
occupants  suspicious  or  unresponsive  to  his  queries. 

Meeting  reverses  in  some  of  his  financial  affairs 
and  longing  for  further  adventures  at  sea,  Mac- 
pherson  sought  the  chief  command  of  the  American 
Navy  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution.  This 
being  denied  him  he  leased  Mount  Pleasant  to  Don 
Juan  de  Merailles,  the  Spanish  ambassador.  But 
to  be  near  General  Washington,  Merailles  had  to 
remove  to  Morristown  and  there  he  soon  died. 

In  the  spring  of  1779  Macpherson  sold  Mount 
Pleasant  to  General  Benedict  Arnold,  of  unhappy 
memory,  whose  remarkable  and  traitorous  career 
is  known  to  every  American.  Arnold  had  been 
placed  in  command  of  Philadelphia  by  Washington, 
following  its  evacuation  by  the  British,  and  in  ac- 
quiring the  most  palatial  countryseat  in  the  vicinity 

[75] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

he  gratified  his  fondness  for  display  and  apparently 
saw  in  it  a  means  of  retaining  or  increasing  his  in- 
fluence and  power.  It  was  his  marriage  gift  to  his 
bride,  Peggy  Shippen,  the  daughter  of  Edward 
Shippen,  a  moderate  Loyalist,  who  eventually  be- 
came reconciled  to  the  new  order  and  was  chief 
justice  of  the  State  from  1799  to  1805.  At  Mount 
Pleasant  Arnold  and  his  wife  remained  for  more 
than  a  year,  living  extravagantly  and  entertaining 
lavishly.  Arnold's  financial  embarrassments  and 
bitter  contentions  with  persistent  enemies  became 
ever  more  deeply  involved.  Here  in  bitterness, 
and  not  without  some  provocation,  he  conceived  the 
dastardly  plan  of  obtaining  from  Washington  com- 
mand of  West  Point,  the  key  to  the  Hudson  River 
Valley,  in  order  that  he  might  betray  it  to  the  British. 

Following  the  discovery  of  the  plot  and  Arnold's 
flight  to  the  British  lines,  his  property  was  con- 
fiscated, and  Mount  Pleasant  was  leased  for  a  short 
period  to  Baron  von  Steuben,  after  which  it  passed 
through  several  hands  to  General  Jonathan  Williams, 
of  Boston,  in  whose  family  the  place  remained  until 
the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century,  when  it  was 
acquired  by  the  city  as  a  part  of  Fairmount  Park. 

At  Number  5442  Germantown  Avenue,  standing 
directly  on  the  sidewalk  as  was  often  the  case,  and 
with  a  beautiful  box-bordered  garden  of  old-fash- 
icned  flowers  about  one  hundred  by  four  hundred 
feet  along  the  south  end,  is  one  of  the  most  interest- 

[76] 


Plastered  Stone   Country   Houses 

ing  old  plastered  houses  in  Philadelphia.  Well 
known  in  history,  it  is  no  less  notable  architec- 
turally. In  general  arrangement  it  differs  little  from 
numerous  other  gable-roof  structures  of  the  vicinity, 
two  and  a  half  stories  high  with  chimneys  at  each 
end  and  handsome  pedimental  dormers  with  round- 
topped  windows  between.  It  is  in  the  excellent 
detail  and  nice  proportion  of  the  wood  trim,  both 
without  and  within,  that  this  house  excels.  Interest 
focuses  upon  the  deeply  recessed  doorway  with  its 
sturdy  Tuscan  columns  and  pediment,  and  the 
great,  attractively  paneled  door.  The  fenestration 
is  admirable  with  twenty-four-paned  windows  set 
in  handsome  frames  with  architrave  casings  and 
beautifully  molded  sills,  the  lower  windows  having 
shutters  and  the  upper  ones  blinds.  A  notable 
feature  is  the  heavy  cornice  with  large  modillions, 
and  beneath  a  relatively  fine-scale,  double  denticu- 
lated molding  or  Grecian  fret. 

Within,  a  wide  hall  extends  through  the  middle 
of  the  house,  widening  at  the  back  where  a  handsome 
winding  staircase  with  landings  ascends  to  the 
floor  above.  Opposite  the  staircase  is  a  breakfast 
room  overlooking  the  garden.  The  parlor  and 
dining  room  on  opposite  sides  of  the  hall,  the  bed- 
rooms above  and  also  the  halls  all-  have  beautifully 
paneled  wainscots.  There  are  handsome  chimney 
pieces  in  each  room  with  dark  Pennsylvania  marble 
facings  about  the  fireplaces  and  ornamental  panels 

t  77  ] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

so  nicely  made  that  no  joints  are  visible.  Through- 
out the  house  the  woodwork  is  of  unusual  beauty 
and  unexcelled  in  workmanship. 

The  house  was  built  in  1772  by  David  Deschler, 
a  wealthy  West  India  merchant,  the  son  of  an  aide- 
de-camp  to  the  reigning  Prince  of  Baden,  and 
Margaret,  a  sister  of  John  Wister  and  Caspar  Wistar. 
After  the  retreat  of  the  American  forces  at  the  con- 
clusion of  the  Battle  of  Germantown,  Sir  William 
Howe,  the  British  commander,  moved  his  head- 
quarters from  Stenton  to  the  Deschler  house.  While 
there  he  is  said  to  have  been  visited  by  Prince 
William  Henry,  then  a  midshipman  in  the  Royal 
Navy,  but  afterward  King  William  IV  of  England. 

Upon  Deschler's  death  in  1792  the  house  was 
bought  by  Colonel  Isaac  Franks,  a  New  Yorker 
who  had  served  his  country  well  in  the  Continental 
Army  and  filled  several  civil  commissions  after  the 
conclusion  of  peace  with  England.  He  it  was  who 
rented  the  house  to  Washington  for  a  short  period 
in  the  early  winter  of  1793  and  again  for  six  weeks 
in  the  following  summer  because  of  the  yellow  fever 
epidemic  in  Philadelphia.  Here  met  the  Presi- 
dent's cabinet  —  Jefferson,  Hamilton,  Knox  and 
Randolph  —  to  discuss  the  President's  message  to 
Congress  and  the  difficulties  with  England,  France 
and  Spain.  Aside  from  Mount  Vernon,  it  is  the 
only  dwelling  now  standing  in  which  Washington 
lived  for  any  considerable  time. 

[78] 


Plastered  Stone   Country   Houses 

In  1804  the  property  was  purchased  by  Elliston 
and  John  Perot,  two  Frenchmen  who  conducted  a 
prosperous  mercantile  business  in  Philadelphia. 
On  the  death  of  the  former  in  1834,  tne  place  was 
purchased  by  his  son-in-law,  Samuel  B.  Morris,  of 
the  shipping  firm  of  Wain  and  Morris,  in  whose 
family  it  has  since  remained.  The  interiors  re- 
main as  in  Washington's  time,  and  much  of  the 
furniture,  silver  and  china  used  by  him  are  still 
preserved,  together  with  his  letter  thanking  Captain 
Samuel  Morris  for  the  valuable  services  of  the  First 
City  Troop  during  the  Revolution. 

Although  not  erected  until  a  few  years  after  the 
treaty  of  peace  following  the  Revolution,  Vernon  is 
so  thoroughly  Colonial  in  architecture  and  of  such 
merit  as  to  warrant  mention  here.  It  stands  in 
extensive  grounds  on  the  west  side  of  Germantown 
Avenue,  Germantown,  above  Chelton  Avenue.  The 
main  house  is  a  hip-roofed  structure  two  and  a  half 
stories  in  height  of  rubble  masonry,  the  front  being 
plastered  and  lined  off  to  simulate  dressed  stone  and 
the  other  walls  being  pebble  dashed.  A  wing  in 
the  rear  connects  the  main  house  with  a  semi- 
detached gable-roof  structure  in  which  were  located 
the  kitchen  and  servants'  rooms.  The  principal 
features  of  the  symmetrical  facade  with  its  ranging 
twelve-paned  windows,  shuttered  on  the  lower 
story,  are  the  central  pediment  with  exquisite  fan- 
light  between   flanking   chimneys   and   handsomely 

[79] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

detailed  dormers,  and  a  splendid  doorway  alluded 
to  later  in  these  pages.  A  fine-scale  denticu- 
lated molding  in  the  cornice,  repeated  elsewhere  in 
the  exterior  wood  trim,  lends  an  air  of  exceptional 
richness  and  refinement. 

Vernon  was  built  in  1803  by  James  Matthews, 
a  whipmaker  of  the  firm  of  McAllister  and  Matthews. 
In  18 1 2  it  was  purchased  by  John  Wistar,  son  of 
Daniel  Wistar,  and  a  member  of  the  countinghouse 
of  his  uncle,  William  Wistar.  Upon  his  uncle's 
death  he  conducted  the  business  with  his  brother 
Charles  and  became  well  known  in  mercantile  circles 
and  prominent  in  the  Society  of  Friends.  A  bronze 
statue  of  him  in  Quaker  garb  has  been  erected  in 
front  of  the  house.  Some  years  after  his  death  in 
1862  the  place  passed  under  the  control  of  the  city 
for  a  park  and  was  occupied  for  a  time  by  the  Free 
Library.  Since  the  erection  of  a  building  near  by 
for  this  latter  purpose,  it  has  housed  the  museum 
of  the  Site  and  Relic  Society,  and  contains  much  of 
interest  to  the  student  of  early  Germantown. 

Another  house  in  the  Colonial  spirit  erected  shortly 
after  the  close  of  the  Revolution  is  Loudoun,  at 
Germantown  Avenue  and  Apsley  Street,  German- 
town,  its  grounds  embracing  the  summit  of  Neglee's 
Hill.  The  house  is  two  and  a  half  stories  high 
with  additions  which  have  somewhat  altered  its 
original  appearance;  it  has  a  gambrel  roof,  hipped 
at  one  end  after  the  Mansard  manner  with  excellent 

[80] 


Plastered  Stone   Country   Houses 

dormers  on  both  the  front  and  end  just  mentioned. 
Its  plastered  rubble  masonry  walls  are  clothed  with 
clinging  ivy.  The  architectural  interest  centers 
chiefly  in  the  fenestration  and  the  pillared  portico 
reminiscent  of  plantation  mansions  farther  south. 
This  portico,  with  its  simple  pediment  and  wooden 
columns  surmounted  by  pleasingly  unusual  capitals 
of  acanthus-leaf  motive,  was  added  some  thirty 
years  after  the  house  was  erected.  The  great 
twenty-four-paned  ranging  windows  have  heavy 
paneled  shutters  on  the  first  floor  and  blinds  on  the 
second.  Tall,  slender,  engaged  columns  supporting 
a  nicely  detailed  entablature  frame  a  typical  Phila- 
delphia doorway,  the  paneled  door  itself  being  single 
with  a  handsome  leaded  fanlight  above. 

Loudoun  was  built  in  1801  by  Thomas  Armat  as  a 
countryseat  for  his  son,  Thomas  Wright  Armat. 
The  elder  Armat  originally  settled  in  Loudoun 
County,  Virginia,  and  hence  the  name  of  the  estate. 
Coming  to  Philadelphia  about  the  time  of  the 
Revolution,  his  family  moved  to  Germantown  dur- 
ing the  yellow  fever  epidemic  of  1793  and  found  it 
such  a  pleasing  place  of  residence  that  the  build- 
ing of  Loudoun  some  years  later  came  as  a  natural 
consequence.  It  stands  at  the  very  outskirts  of 
Germantown,  now  the  twenty-second  ward  of  Phila- 
delphia, where  Germantown  Avenue  starts  its  wind- 
ing course  toward  Chestnut  Hill.  At  the  original 
lottery   distribution  of  the   land  of  the   Frankford 

[81] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

Company  in  the  cave  of  Francis  Daniel  Pastorius, 
there  being  no  permanent  houses  at  that  time,  the 
site  fell  to  Thomas  Kunders,  in  whose  house  at 
Number  5109  Germantown  Avenue  the  first  meet- 
ing of  Friends  was  held  in  Germantown.  After 
the  Battle  of  Germantown  the  hill  was  used  as  a 
hospital,  and  many  dead  were  buried  there.  From 
1820  to  1835  Loudoun  was  rented  to  Madam  Gre- 
land  as  a  summer  school  for  young  women,  and  it 
was  during  this  period,  probably  about  1830,  that 
the  pillared  portico  was  added. 

A  successful  Philadelphia  merchant  and  well- 
known  philanthropist,  Thomas  Armat,  gave  the 
site  for  St.  Luke's  Church  in  Germantown  and 
assisted  in  its  erection,  also  setting  aside  a  chamber 
at  Loudoun  which  was  known  as  the  minister's 
room.  He  was  among  the  first  to  suggest  the  use 
of  coal  for  heating,  and  one  of  the  early  patentees 
of  a  hay  scales.  Armat's  daughter  married  Gusta- 
vus  Logan,  great-great-grandson  of  James  Logan 
and  grandson  of  John  Dickinson,  whose  "Farmer's 
Letters",  addressed  to  the  people  of  England,  are 
said  to  have  brought  about  the  repeal  of  the  Stamp 
Act.     Loudoun  still  remains  in  the  Logan  family. 

No  stranger  house  can  be  found  in  all  Philadelphia 
than  Solitude  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Schuylkill 
in  Blockley  Township,  Fairmount  Park.  It  is  a 
boxlike  structure  of  plastered  rubble  masonry  twenty- 
six  feet  square  and  two  and  a  half  stories  high,  with 

[82] 


Plastered  Stone   Country   Houses 

a  hip  roof  having  simple  pedimental  dormers  and 
two  oppositely  disposed  chimneys.  The  wood  trim 
is  severely  simple  throughout,  from  the  heavy  molded 
cornice  under  the  eaves  to  the  pedimental  recessed 
doorway  with  its  Ionic  columns  and  entablature. 
Two  slightly  projecting  courses  of  brick,  one  some 
ten  inches  or  so  above  the  other,  form  an  unusual 
belt  at  the  second-floor  level,  while  a  distinctive 
feature  of  the  fenestration  is  seen  in  the  fact  that 
most  of  the  windows  have  nine-paned  upper  and 
six-paned  lower  sashes. 

Within,  the  entrance  doorway  leads  into  a  hall 
some  nine  feet  wide  and  extending  entirely  across 
the  house  from  side  to  side.  The  remainder  of  the 
first  floor  consists  of  a  large  parlor  with  windows 
opening  on  a  portico  overlooking  the  river.  A 
beautiful  stucco  cornice  and  ceiling  and  a  carved 
wood  surbase  are  its  best  features.  In  one  corner 
a  staircase  with  wrought-iron  railing  rises  to  the 
second  floor,  where  there  is  a  library  about  fifteen 
feet  square  with  built-in  bookcases,  two  connecting 
bedrooms,  one  with  an  alcove  and  secret  door  where 
the  owner  might  shut  himself  away  from  intrusive 
visitors,  and  a  staircase  leading  to  more  bedrooms 
on  the  third  floor.  The  cellar  is  deep  and  roomy, 
with  provision  for  wine  storage,  and  an  underground 
passage  communicates  with  the  kitchen  located  in  a 
separate  building  about  twenty-five  feet  distant. 

Solitude  was  built  in  1785  by  John  Penn,  a  grand- 

[83] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

son  of  William  Penn,  the  founder  of  Philadelphia, 
and  a  son  of  Thomas  Penn,  whose  wife  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  the  Earl  of  Pomfret.  A  much  traveled, 
scholarly  man,  poet,  idealist  and  art  patron,  he 
came  to  Philadelphia  in  1783  to  look  after  pro- 
prietary interests  in  Pennsylvania  and  intending 
to  become  an  American.  But  his  claims  were 
made  under  hereditary  rights,  and  as  the  State  was 
not  disposed  to  honor  them  he  concluded  to  remain 
an  Englishman.  Vexed  with  the  perversity  of 
human  nature,  he  built  Solitude  and  named  it  for 
a  lodge  belonging  to  the  Duke  of  Wurttemburg. 
There  he  lived  somewhat  the  life  of  a  recluse  with 
his  books  and  trees  for  three  years.  He  was  on 
friendly  terms  with  his  neighbors,  however,  who 
included  his  cousin,  Governor  John  Penn,  and 
Judge  Richard  Peters.  Gay  week-end  parties  also 
came  in  boats  to  enjoy  his  hospitality,  and  Wash- 
ington once  spent  a  day  with  him  during  the  sitting 
of  the  Constitutional  Convention  in  Philadelphia. 

In  1788  Penn  suddenly  returned  to  England, 
built  a  handsome  residence  at  Stoke  and  embarked 
on  a  notable  career  in  public  life,  becoming  sheriff 
of  Bucks  in  1798,  a  member  of  Parliament  in  1802, 
and  royal  governor  of  the  island  of  Portland  in 
Dorset  for  many  years  after  1805.  The  University 
of  Cambridge  made  him  an  LL.D.  in  181 1,  and 
he  won  promotion  to  a  lieutenant-colonelcy  in  the 
Royal    Bucks    Yeomanry.     Later    in    his    declining 

[84] 


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Plastered  Stone   Country   Houses 

years  he  formed  the  Outinian  Society  to  encourage 
young  men  and  women  to  marry,  although  he  in- 
consistently died  a  bachelor  in  1834. 

Solitude  then  passed  by  inheritance  to  Penn's 
youngest  brother,  Granville,  and  on  his  death  ten 
years  later  to  a  nephew,  Granville  John  Penn, 
great-grandson  of  William  Penn,  and  the  last  Penn 
at  Solitude.  Coming  to  Philadelphia  in  middle  life 
about  185 1  he  was  lionized  by  society  and  in  ac- 
knowledgment gave  a  grand  "Fete  Champetre" 
and  collation.  Following  his  death  in  1867,  Soli- 
tude and  its  grounds  were  made  part  of  Fairmount 
Park,  and  after  several  years  without  tenancy  the 
house  in  its  original  condition  was  made  the  ad- 
ministration building  of  the  Zoological  Society. 

The  fine  old  plastered  stone  houses  of  Philadelphia 
comprise  one  of  the  distinctive  and  most  admired 
types  of  its  Colonial  architecture.  Those  with 
pebble-dashed  walls  which  seek  to  simulate  no 
other  building  material  or  form  of  construction 
possess  the  added  charm  of  frank  sincerity.  Fire- 
proof in  character,  pleasing  in  appearance,  and 
readily  adaptable  to  varied  home  requirements, 
they  point  the  way  wherever  rubble  stone  incapable 
of  forming  an  attractive  wall  is  cheaply  available. 
Many  modern  dwellings  in  the  Colonial  spirit  are 
being  built  in  this  manner. 


[85] 


CHAPTER  VI 

HEWN   STONE   COUNTRY  HOUSES 

COST  was  not  an  object  in  building  many  of 
the  larger  old  countryseats  about  Phila- 
delphia, for  their  owners  were  men  of  wealth  and 
station,  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  the  province  and 
sharing  its  prosperity.  Influenced  by  the  builders 
of  the  Georgian  period  in  England,  and  often  under 
their  personal  supervision,  the  buildings  on  numer- 
ous great  estates  about  the  early  metropolis  of  the 
American  colonies  were  constructed  of  quarried 
stone,  whether  sawed  in  the  form  of  "  brick "  stone 
or  hammered  to  a  relatively  smooth  surface. 

Surfaced  stone,  however,  especially  when  cut  into 
rectangular  blocks,  is  to  be  recommended  only  for 
public  work  or  for  very  large  and  pretentious  resi- 
dences of  formal  character  and  arrangement.  In 
small  buildings,  and  unless  handled  with  skill  and 
discretion  in  larger  work,  its  psychological  effect 
upon  the  mind  is  that  of  uncompromising  and  some- 
what repellent  austerity ;  it  suggests  the  prison- 
like palace  rather  than  the  domestic  atmosphere  of 
a  true  home,  —  an  atmosphere  to  be  had  in  stone 
only  by  preserving  the  greater  spontaneity  of  ir- 

[86] 


Hewn    Stone   Country   Houses 

regular    shapes    and    rock    faces    characteristic    of 
Germantown  ledge  stone. 

That  the  early  builders  of  this  vicinity  were  skilled 
stone  masons  and  employed  this  form  of  building 
construction  with  sympathy  and  intelligence  is 
indicated  by  the  splendid  old  mansions  that  still 
remain  as  monuments  to  their  genius,  —  stately, 
elegant,  enduring,  yet  withal  pleasing,  comfortable 
and  eminently  livable.  The  use  of  "brick"  stone 
for  several  of  them  has  given  a  lighter  scale,  and  by 
repetition  of  many  closely  related  and  prominent 
horizontals  has  simulated  a  greater  breadth  of 
facade  and  a  lesser  total  height,  both  beneficial  to 
the  general  appearance.  As  in  ordinary  brickwork, 
the  vertical  pointing  is  as  wide  as  the  horizontal, 
but  the  joints  break,  whereas  the  course  lines  are 
continuous,  thus  emphasizing  the  horizontals  of 
light  mortar. 

Unquestionably  the  most  notable  mansion  of 
hewn  stone  in  Greater  Philadelphia  is  Cliveden, 
the  countryseat  of  the  Chew  family,  located  in 
extensive  grounds  at  Germantown  Avenue  and 
Johnson  streets,  Germantown.  One  of  the  most 
substantial  and  elaborate  residences  of  that  day, 
it  is  two  and  a  half  stories  in  height  and  built  of 
heavy  masonry,  the  front  illustrating  well  the 
pleasing  use  of  surfaced  Germantown  stone,  flush 
pointed,  the  other  walls  being  of  rubble  masonry, 
plastered  and  marked  off  to  simulate  dressed  stone. 

[87] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

Two  wings,  one  semi-detached  and  the  other  entirely 
so,  extend  back  from  the  main  house  and  contain 
the  kitchen,  servants'  quarters  and  laundry.  The 
classic  front  entrance  opens  into  a  large  hall  with 
small  rooms  on  each  side  which  were  originally 
used  as  offices.  Beyond  and  above  are  many 
spacious  rooms  with  excellent  woodwork  and  hand- 
some chimney  pieces. 

No  handsomer  Colonial  facade  is  to  be  found  in 
America.  Classic  in  feeling  and  symmetrical  in 
arrangement,  it  is  excellently  detailed  in  every 
particular.  Above  a  slightly  projecting  water  table 
the  repeated  horizontals  of  the  limestone  belt  at 
the  second-floor  level,  the  heavy  cornice  with 
prominent  modillions  and  the  roof  line  impart  a 
feeling  of  repose  and  stability  quite  apart  from 
the  character  of  the  building  material  itself.  The 
ranging  windows,  shuttered  on  the  lower  floor,  are 
distinguished  by  their  keyed  limestone  lintels  and 
twelve-paned  upper  and  lower  sashes,  while  the  roof 
is  elaborated  by  two  great  chimney  stacks,  a  like 
number  of  well-designed  dormers  with  round-topped 
windows,  and  five  handsome  stone  urns  mounted  on 
brick  piers  at  the  corners  and  over  the  entrance. 
The  central  portion  of  the  facade  projects  slightly 
under  a  pediment  in  harmony  with  the  splendid 
Doric  doorway  beneath,  of  which  more  elsewhere. 

Cliveden  was  erected  in  1761  by  Benjamin  Chew, 
a  friend  of  Washington  and  a  descendant  of  one  of 

[88] 


Plate  XXXVIII.  —  Detail  of  Iron  Balustrade,  216  South  Ninth 
Street ;  Stoop  with  Wing  Flights,  207  La  Grange  Alley. 


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Hewn   Stone   Country   Houses 

the  oldest  and  most  distinguished  Virginia  families, 
his  great-grandfather,  John  Chew,  having  settled 
at  James  Citie  about  1621,  and,  like  Benjamin 
Chew's  grandfather  and  father,  who  resided  in 
Maryland,  having  been  prominent  in  the  courts 
and  public  affairs  generally.  Benjamin  Chew 
studied  law  with  Andrew  Hamilton,  and  at  the  age 
of  nineteen  entered  the  Middle  Temple,  London, 
the  same  year  as  Sir  William  Blackstone.  Remov- 
ing to  Philadelphia  in  1754,  he  was  provincial 
counselor   in    1755,   attorney  general  from    1755   to 

1764,  recorder  of  the  city  from  1755  to  1774,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Pennsylvania-Maryland  Boundary  Com- 
mission in  1 76 1,  register  general  of  the  province  in 

1765,  and  in  1774  succeeded  William  Allen  as  chief 
justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania. 
Following  the  Revolution  he  served  as  a  judge  and 
president  of  the  High  Court  of  Errours  and  Appeals 
until  it  was  abolished  in  1808. 

Justice  Chew  was  brought  up  a  Quaker  and  his 
attitude  coincided  with  that  of  many  others  who 
manifested  sympathy  for  the  American  cause,  yet 
hesitated  at  complete  independence.  In  defining 
high  treason  to  the  April  Grand  Jury  of  1776,  the 
last  held  under  the  Crown,  he  stated  that  "an 
opposition  by  force  of  arms  to  the  lawful  authority 
of  the  King  or  his  Ministry  is  high  treason,  but  in 
the  moment  when  the  King,  or  his  Ministers,  shall 
exceed  the  authority  vested  in  them  by  the  Con- 

[89] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

stitution,  submission  to  their  mandate  becomes 
treason."  It  is  not  surprising,  therefore,  that  in 
August,  1777,  Judge  Chew  and  John  Penn,  the  late 
proprietary,  were  arrested  by  the  City  Troop  and 
on  refusing  parole  were  imprisoned  at  the  Union 
Iron  Works  until  sometime  in  1778. 

With  fourteen  attractive  and  accomplished  chil- 
dren, two  sons  and  twelve  daughters,  things  were 
always  lively  at  Cliveden,  and  it  was  the  scene  of 
lavish  entertainment  of  Washington,  Adams  and 
other  members  of  the  first  Continental  Congress. 
Around  its  classic  doorway  the  Battle  of  German- 
town  raged  most  fiercely.  The  house  had  been 
occupied  by  the  British  under  Colonel  Musgrave, 
the  Chew  family  being  away  at  the  time;  and  so 
effective  a  fortress  did  it  prove  that  the  center  of 
Washington's  advance  was  checked  and  the  day  lost 
to  the  American  arms.  Great  damage  was  done 
inside  and  out  by  cannon  balls,  some  of  it  being  still 
visible,  although  several  workmen  spent  the  entire 
following  winter  putting  the  house  in  order.  During 
his  triumphal  farewell  tour  of  the  twenty-four 
American  States  in  1825,  a  breakfast  was  tendered 
to  La  Fayette  at  Cliveden  on  the  day  of  his  reception 
at  Wyck. 

In  1779,  Justice.  Chew  sold  Cliveden  to  Blair 
McClenahan,  a  director  of  the  Bank  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, for  nine  thousand  dollars,  but  bought  it 
back  again  in  1787  for  twenty-five  thousand  dollars. 

[90] 


Hewn    Stone    Country   Houses 

Since  that  time  it  has  remained  in  the  family  and 
is  still  occupied  part  of  the  year.  Chew's  Woods, 
formerly  part  of  the  estate,  have  been  presented  to 
the  city  as  a  public  park,  but  the  stable  behind  the 
house,  and  connected  with  it  by  an  underground 
passage,  still  remains  much  as  ever;  and  therein 
reposes  the  curious  old  family  coach. 

Second  only  to  Cliveden  in  architectural  interest 
is  The  Highlands,  located  on  the  Skippack  Pike 
overlooking  the  Whitemarsh  Valley  from  a  lofty  site 
among  giant  old  oaks,  pines  and  sycamores.  It  is 
a  splendid  example  of  American  architecture  after 
the  late  Georgian  manner,  and  although  not  built 
until  after  the  Revolution,  its  character  is  such  that 
it  deserves  to  be  included  among  the  Colonial  houses 
of  the  vicinity.  The  south  or  entrance  front  is 
built  of  squared  and  nicely  surfaced  stones  laid  up 
with  joints  breaking  much  like  brickwork,  the  point- 
ing being  of  the  ridge  or  weathered  type.  The  sides 
are  of  ordinary  rubble  but  plastered  and  lined  off 
to  simulate  hewn  stone.  The  central  section  of 
the  facade  projects  slightly,  two  Ionic  pilasters  of 
white  marble  supporting  a  pediment  within  which  a 
semicircular  fanlight  ventilates  and  lights  the  attic. 
Marble  belts  at  the  first-  and  second-floor  levels, 
marble  window  sills  and  keystones  in  the  lintels 
relieve  and  brighten  the  effect,  while  an  unusual 
diamond  fret  lends  distinction  to  the  cornice.  The 
windows    have    six-paned    upper    and    lower   sashes 

[91] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

with  blinds  on  all  stories,  as  in  the  case  of  most  of 
the  later  Colonial  houses.  Ornamental  wrought- 
iron  fire  balconies  at  the  second-story  windows  are 
a  picturesque  feature.  The  entrance  porch,  one  of 
the  few  of  consequence  in  Philadelphia,  is  char- 
acterized by  its  chaste  simplicity,  the  fine-scale 
reeded  columns  and  wrought-iron  balustrade  of 
the  marble  steps  being  its  chief  features.  But  for 
the  double  doors  characteristic  of  Philadelphia, 
the  doorway  itself,  of  excellent  proportions  and 
having  a  handsome  elliptical  fanlight  and  side  lights 
with  leaded  glass,  would  suggest  Salem  design. 

Within,  a  great  hall  extends  through  the  house 
to  a  wide  cross  hall  at  the  rear,  where  a  broad  and 
handsome  staircase  with  wing  flights  above  a  gallery 
landing  is  located.  A  beautiful  Palladian  window 
in  the  west  end  of  the  house  lights  this  landing  and 
the  entire  cross  hall.  Much  excellent  woodwork 
adorns  the  spacious  rooms,  but  the  splendid  Adam 
mantels  with  their  delicate  applied  stucco  designs 
were  long  ago  replaced  by  less  pleasing  creations  of 
black  marble. 

The  Highlands  was  completed  in  1796  by  Anthony 
Morris,  son  of  Captain  Samuel  Morris,  and  a  friend 
of  Jefferson,  Monroe  and  Madison,  and  was  some 
two  years  in  the  building.  Morris  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1787  and  soon  went  into  politics,  later 
engaging  extensively  in  the  East  India  trade.  Repre- 
senting the  city  of  Philadelphia  in  the  State  Senate, 

[92] 


Plate   XL.  —  Footscraper,    Wyck ;   Old    Philadelphia    Footscraper ; 

Footscraper,  Third  and  Spruce  Streets ;  Footscraper, 

Dirck-Keyser  House,  Germantown. 


Plate  XLI.  —  Footscraper,  320  South  Third   Street;    Footscraper, 

South  Third  Street ;  Footscraper,  Vernon,  Germantown  ; 

Footscraper,  239  Pine  Street. 


Hewn   Stone   Country   Houses 

he  was  in  1793,  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven,  elected 
speaker,  succeeding  Samuel  Powel.  In  this  ca- 
pacity he  signed  a  bill  providing  for  troops  to  sup- 
press the  Whiskey  Rebellion,  for  which  act  he  was 
disowned  by  the  Friends'  Meeting  of  which  he  was 
a  member.  Dolly  Madison  makes  friendly  refer- 
ences to  Morris  in  her  memoirs  and  letters,  and  for 
nearly  two  years  during  Madison's  administration 
Morris  represented  the  United  States  at  the  Court  of 
Spain.  Through  his  efforts  an  adjustment  was 
effected  in  the  boundary  dispute  over  the  Florida 
cession. 

In  1808  Morris  sold  The  Highlands  to  one  Hitner, 
who  conveyed  it  in  181 3  to  George  Sheaff,  in  whose 
family  it  has  since  remained. 

Nothing  quite  like  Bartram  House  is  to  be  found 
anywhere  in  America.  Situated  on  the  Schuylkill 
River  at  Kingsessing,  West  Philadelphia,  just  to 
the  south  of  what  was  once  the  lower  or  Gray's 
Ferry,  this  curious  structure  was  begun  in  1730? 
and  the  main  part  of  it  was  completed  the  following 
year,  as  indicated  by  a  stone  in  one  of  the  gables 
bearing  the  inscription  in  Greek,  "May  God  save", 
followed  in  English  by  "John  and  Ann  Bartram, 
173 1."  Successive  additions  and  alterations  have 
changed  the  inside  arrangement  more  than  the  ex- 
terior appearance,  and  it  can  hardly  be  said  that 
the  house  now  has  any  particular  floor  plan.  Prob- 
ably the  latest  important  changes  were  made  when 

[93] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

a  stone  bearing  the  following  inscription  was  placed 
over  the  study  window  : 

It  is  God  above  almyty  Lord 
The  holy  One  by  me  ador'd. 
John  Bartram,  1770. 

In  outward  appearance  Bartram  House  is  a  simple 
gable-roof  structure  two  and  a  half  stories  in  height, 
of  large,  roughly  hewn  stones  with  east  and  west 
fronts  and  three  dormers  lighting  the  attic.  The 
east  or  entrance  front  has  a  characteristic  trellis- 
shaded  doorway  with  quaint  Dutch  seats  at  each 
side,  while  the  west  front  has  an  odd,  recessed  porch 
between  rude  Ionic  columns  of  native  stone,  the 
same  as  the  walls  and  built  up  like  them.  Crudely 
chiseled,  elaborately  ornamental  window  casings, 
lintels  and  sills  form  a  curious  feature  of  this  facade. 
Clothed  as  it  is  with  clinging  ivy  and  climbing  roses, 
the  house  suggests  an  effect  of  both  stateliness  and 
rusticity. 

Bartram  was  a  farmer,  but  his  interest  in  plants, 
shrubs  and  trees  was  such  that  he  became  one  of 
the  greatest  botanists  of  his  day.  In  autumn,  when 
his  farm  labors  were  finished  for  the  year,  he  jour- 
neyed extensively  about  the  colonies,  gathering 
specimens  with  which  to  beautify  his  grounds. 
His  greatest  enjoyment  in  life  was  to  make  his 
collection  of  rare  species  ever  more  complete,  and 
his   remarkable   accomplishments   in   this   direction, 

[94] 


Hewn    Stone   Country   Houses 

despite  many  handicaps,  entitle  him  to  be  known 
as  the  father  of  American  botanists.  After  Bartram's 
death  his  son  William,  also  an  eminent  botanist, 
carried  on  the  work,  and  later  his  son-in-law,  Colonel 
Carr,  did  likewise  until  the  place  became  one  of 
the  most  interesting  botanical  gardens  in  the  coun- 
try. In  1 85 1  the  estate  was  purchased  by  Andrew 
Eastwick,  a  railway  builder  just  returned  from  an 
extended  commission  in  Russia,  who  erected  a  large 
residence  in  another  part  of  the  grounds.  In  1893 
the  city  bought  Bartram  House  and  its  immediate 
grounds  and  in  1897  acquired  the  balance  of  the 
estate,  the  whole  being  converted  into  a  public 
park  and  the  old  house  being  furnished  and  put  in 
excellent  condition  by  the  descendants  of  the  Bar- 
tram  family. 

Undoubtedly  the  most  notable  instance  of  the 
use  of  "brick"  stone  with  the  so-called  Colonial  or 
"barn"  pointing  is  the  Johnson  house  at  Number 
6306  Germantown  Avenue,  Germantown.  Typical 
of  the  first  homes  that  lined  the  street  of  this  his- 
toric old  town  for  nearly  two  miles,  it  is  solidly 
built  of  dark  native  ledge  stone,  the  front  being  of 
dressed  rectangular  blocks  considerably  smaller, 
somewhat  rougher  and  hence  less  formal  than  the 
surfaced  blocks  of  Cliveden,  for  example.  It  is  a 
single  gable-roofed  structure  two  and  a  half  stories 
high  with  ranging  windows  throughout,  a  large 
chimnev  at  each  end  and  two  dormers  in  the  front 

1 95] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

between  them.  Like  many  others  of  the  time  it 
had  a  small  penthouse  roof  at  the  second-floor  level 
which,  with  the  overhanging  eaves  of  the  roof  above, 
afforded  protection  from  rainy  weather  for  the 
joints  of  the  stonework  which  was  at  first  laid  up  in 
clay.  Lime  for  making  more  permanent  mortar 
was  far  from  plentiful  for  many  years  after  America 
was  first  settled,  and  numerous  makeshifts  had  to 
be  resorted  to  unless  the  builder  could  afford  to 
import  lime  from  England  at  great  expense.  Over 
the  doorway,  with  its  simple  flanking  seats,  there 
is  the  familiar  pedimental  and  slightly  projecting 
hood,  while  the  door  itself  is  of  the  quaint  divided 
type,  permitting  the  upper  half  to  be  opened  while 
the  lower  half  is  closed.  On  the  first  floor  the 
windows  have  nine-paned  sashes,  both  upper  and 
lower,  together  with  nicely  paneled  shutters,  while 
on  the  second  floor  the  upper  sashes  are  foreshortened 
to  six  panes,  and  there  are  neither  shutters  nor  blinds. 
This  excellent  example  of  the  Pennsylvania  farm- 
house type  was  built  by  Dirck  Jansen,  one  of  the 
original  settlers  of  Germantown,  for  his  son  John 
Johnson  at  the  time  of  his  marriage  to  Rachael 
Livezey.  The  work  was  begun  in  1765  and  com- 
pleted in  1768,  as  indicated  by  a  date  stone  in  the 
peak  of  one  of  the  gables.  It  was  one  of  the  largest 
and  most  substantial  residences  in  the  town  and  for 
that  reason  gave  much  concern  to  the  Society  of 
Friends    of    which    the    Johnsons    were    members. 

[96] 


Hewn   Stone   Country   Houses 

During  the  Battle  of  Germantown  it  was  in  the  thick 
of  the  fight,  and  following  the  warning  of  an  officer 
John  Johnson  and  his  entire  family  took  refuge  in 
the  cellar.  Bullet  holes  through  three  doors  are 
still  visible,  also  the  damage  done  to  the  northwest 
wall  by  a  cannon  ball.  The  backyard  fence,  riddled 
with  bullets,  was  removed  in  1906  to  the  Museum 
of  the  Site  and  Relic  Society  at  Vernon. 

Since  the  death  of  John  Johnson  in  1805,  the 
house  has  passed  through  many  hands,  all  descend- 
ants of  the  builder,  however.  During  the  Civil 
War  it  became  a  station  of  the  "underground  rail- 
way" for  conducting  fugitive  slaves  to  Canada, 
and  Mrs.  Josiah  Reeve,  a  great-great-granddaughter 
of  the  builder,  used  to  tell  how,  when  a  child,  she 
often  wondered  why  so  many  colored  people  lived 
in  the  attic,  staying  only  a  day  or  so,  when  others 
would  appear. 

Generally  similar  to  the  Johnson  house  is  the  old 
Green  Tree  Inn,  Number  6019  Germantown  Avenue, 
Germantown,  erected  in  1748.  Its  principal  dis- 
tinctions lie  in  the  three  small,  plain  dormers  with 
segmental  topped  windows ;  the  coved  cornice ; 
the  elliptical  carving  in  the  pediment  of  the  hood 
over  the  door;  the  enriched  ovolo  molding  of  the 
penthouse  roof,  consisting  of  a  ball  and  disk  in 
alternation,  and  the  arched  openings  of  the  base- 
ment windows. 

In  this  building  on  December  6,  1759,  then  the 

[971 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

home  of  Daniel  Mackinett,  the  public  school  of 
Germantown,  the  Germantown  Academy,  was  or- 
ganized, its  building  being  erected  the  following 
year.  In  Revolutionary  times  this  old  house  was 
known  as  "Widow  Mackinett's  Tavern",  and  it 
was  a  famous  resort  for  driving  parties  from  the  city. 
Many  persons  of  note  were  entertained  at  the  Green 
Tree  Inn,  and  when  La  Fayette  visited  Germantown 
in  1825  it  was  the  intention  to  tender  him  a  dinner 
there.  It  was  concluded,  however,  that  the  tavern 
could  not  accommodate  the  party,  and  a  breakfast 
at  Cliveden  was  given  instead,  to  which  reference 
has  already  been  made. 

The  old  Billmeyer  house,  also  on  Germantown 
Avenue,  Germantown,  interests  the  student  of 
architecture  primarily  as  a  rare  instance  of  the  early 
Germantown  two-family  house.  Apart  from  its 
two  front  entrance  doorways  and  the  absence  of  a 
hood  in  the  penthouse  roof,  it  is  much  like  the 
Johnson  house  in  general  arrangement.  The  "  brick  " 
stones  are  larger  and  less  pleasing,  however,  and 
the  high  elevation  of  the  structure  is  evidently  due 
to  a  subsequent  change  in  the  grade  of  the  street. 
This,  however,  has  given  opportunity  for  a  quaint 
double  flight  of  wing  steps  with  simple  wrought- 
iron  balustrades  in  the  characteristic  Philadelphia 
manner.  The  seats,  back  to  back,  one  for  each 
doorway,  recall  those  of  the  Johnson  house.  One 
notices    with    admiration    the    beautifully    detailed 

[98] 


Plate  XLII.  —  Iron  Stair  Rail  and  Footscraper,  South  Seventh 

Street  (section) ;   Iron  Stair  Rail  and  Footscraper,  South  Fourth 

Street  (section) ;  Iron  Stair  Rail  and  Footscraper,  Seventh 

and  Locust  Streets  (section) ;   Iron  Stair  Rail  and 

Footscraper,  Seventh  and  Locust  Streets 

(section). 


Plate  XLIII.  —  Detail  of  Window  and  Shutters,  Morris  House. 


Hewn   Stone   Country   Houses 

pedimental  dormers  with  their  round-topped  win- 
dows, and  with  interest  the  unusual  use  of  shutters 
on  both  the  first  and  second  stories.  Both  upper 
and  lower  sashes  on  the  first  floor  are  twelve-paned, 
as  are  also  the  upper  sashes  on  the  second  floor,  the 
foreshortening  of  these  upper  windows  being  ac- 
complished by  means  of  eight-paned  lower  sashes. 

Erected  in  1727  as  a  single  dwelling,  this  house 
was  occupied  during  the  battle  by  the  widow  Deshler 
and  her  family.  At  that  time  there  was  no  build- 
ing of  any  sort  between  the  Billmeyer  and  Chew 
houses.  It  was  in  front  of  this  house  that  Washing- 
ton stopped  in  his  march  down  Germantown  Avenue 
on  October  4,  1777,  having  discovered  that  the  Chew 
house  was  occupied  by  the  British.  There  he 
conferred  with  his  officers,  ordered  the  attack  and 
directed  the  battle.  The  tradition  is  that  Wash- 
ington stood  on  a  horse  block,  telescope  in  hand, 
trying  in  vain  to  penetrate  the  smoke  and  fog  and 
discover  the  force  of  the  enemy  intrenched  within 
the  Chew  mansion.  The  stone  cap  of  the  horse 
block  is  still  preserved,  and  the  telescope  is  in  the 
possession  of  Germantown  Academy.  The  house 
suffered  greatly  at  the  hands  of  the  British  soldiers 
who  were  quartered  there,  and  its  woodwork  still 
bears  the  marks  of  bullets  and  attempts  to  set  it 
on  fire.  In  1789  it  became  the  home  of  Michael 
Billmeyer,  a  celebrated  German  printer  who  carried 
on  his  trade  there. 

[99] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

Homes  such  as  the  Johnson  and  Billmeyer  houses 
and  numerous  similar  ones,  two  and  a  half  stories 
high  with  gable  roofs,  dormer  windows  and  a  pent- 
house roof  at  the  second-floor  level,  are  character- 
istic examples  of  the  best  Pennsylvania  farmhouse 
type  which  architects  of  the  present  day  are  per- 
petuating to  a  considerable  extent.  Whether  of 
dressed  local  or  ledge  stone,  they  are  distinct  from 
anything  else  anywhere  that  comes  within  the 
Colonial  category.  In  their  design  and  construc- 
tion sincerity  of  purpose  is  manifest;  their  sturdy 
simplicity  and  frank  practicability  give  them  a  rare 
charm  which  appeals  strongly  to  all  lovers  of  the 
Colonial  style  in  architecture. 


[  100  ] 


CHAPTER  VII 
DOORWAYS   AND   PORCHES 

INVARIABLY  one  associates  a  house  with  its 
front  entrance,  for  the  doorway  is  the  domi- 
nant feature  of  the  facade,  the  keynote  so  to 
speak.  Truly  utilitarian  in  purpose,  and  so  lend- 
ing itself  more  logically  to  elaboration  for  the  sake 
of  decorative  effect,  the  doorway  became  the  prin- 
cipal single  feature  of  a  Colonial  exterior.  When 
designed  in  complete  accord  with  the  house  it  lends 
distinction  and  charm  to  the  building  as  a  whole. 

Like  men,  doorways  have  character  and  individu- 
ality. Indeed,  in  their  individuality  they  reflect 
the  character  of  those  who  built  them.  They  sym- 
bolize the  house  as  a  whole  and  usually  the  mien  of 
its  occupants ;  they  create  the  first  impressions 
which  the  guest  has  of  his  host,  and  foretell  more 
or  less  accurately  the  sort  of  welcome  to  be  expected. 

The  houses  of  Philadelphia  and  vicinity,  perhaps 

more  than  those  of  any  other  American  city,  possess 

the    charm    of    architectural    merit    combined    with 

historic    interest.     To    appreciate    more    fully    the 

important  part  played  by  Philadelphians   in  early 

[IOI] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

American  affairs,  we  study  their  houses  and  home 
life,  and  as  the  primary  index  to  the  domestic  archi- 
tecture of  the  vicinity  we  direct  our  attention  to 
the  doorways  and  porches. 

Like  the  houses,  the  doorways  range  in  architec- 
tural pretension  from  the  unaffected  simplicity  of 
Wyck  to  the  stately  elaboration  of  Cliveden  and 
Mount  Pleasant,  and  possess  distinctive  character- 
istics not  seen  elsewhere.  Wealth  made  Philadel- 
phia the  most  fashionable  American  city  of  the  time, 
with  all  the  attendant  rivalries  and  jealousies  of 
such  a  condition.  Desiring  to  put  the  best  foot 
foremost,  elaboration  of  the  doorway  provided  a 
ready  means  to  display  the  self-esteem,  affluence 
and  social  position  of  the  owner.  Naturally  the 
Quaker  severity  of  former  years  was  reflected  in 
many  of  these  outward  manifestations  of  home  life, 
and  it  is  a  study  of  absorbing  interest  to  note  the 
proportions  and  resulting  spirit,  so  unlike  New 
England  doorways,  which  the  local  builders  gave  to 
their  adaptations  from  the  same  Renaissance  mo- 
tives. Summed  up  in  a  sentence,  the  high,  narrow 
doorways  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  most  part  without 
the  welcoming  side  lights  of  New  England,  speak 
truly  of  Quaker  severity  and  the  exclusiveness  of 
the  old  aristocratic  families. 

As  to  the  doors  themselves,  four  distinct  types 
were  common  throughout  the  Colonial  period. 
Single  and  double  doors  were  equally  popular,  high, 

[  102] 


Doorways  and  Porches 

narrow  double  doors  being  favored  for  the  more 
pretentious  houses,  although  instances  are  not  lack- 
ing of  single  doors  in  the  mansions  of  Colonial  times. 
With  very  few  exceptions  molded  and  raised  panels 
with  broad  bevels  were  used  in  all,  and  it  is  according 
to  the  arrangement  of  these  panels  that  the  dif- 
ferent types  of  doors  are  best  classified. 

One  of  the  earliest  and  simplest  was  the  six-panel 
single  door  with  three  stiles  of  about  equal  width, 
top  and  frieze  rail  about  the  same,  bottom  rail 
somewhat  wider  and  lock  rail  about  double  the  width 
of  the  frieze  rail.  The  upper  pair  of  panels  were  not 
quite  high  enough  to  be  square,  while  the  middle 
and  lower  pairs  were  oblong  in  shape,  the  middle 
one  being  higher  than  the  lower.  Rarely  this  rela- 
tion was  reversed,  and  the  lower  pair  was  higher 
than  the  middle  pair,  the  door  at  Number  6504 
Germantown  Avenue  being  an  example.  As  found 
in  the  farmhouses  of  Germantown  and  thereabouts, 
notably  Wyck,  Glen  Fern,  the  Green  Tree  Inn 
and  the  Johnson  and  Billmeyer  houses,  these  six- 
panel  doors  were  split  horizontally  through  the 
lock  rail,  dividing  them  into  an  upper  and  lower 
part.  This  arrangement  made  it  possible  to  open 
the  upper  part  for  ventilation  while  keeping  the 
lower  part  closed  to  prevent  stray  animals  and  fowls 
from  entering  the  house.  Numerous  examples  of 
undivided  six-panel  doors  are  shown  by  accompany- 
ing  illustrations   and   referred   to   in   detail   in   suc- 

[  103  ] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

ceeding  paragraphs.  Of  these  the  door  of  Grumble- 
thorpe  is  unique  in  having  a  double  stile  in  the 
middle,  giving  almost  the  appearance  of  double 
doors. 

Three-panel  double  doors,  such  as  those  of  Mount 
Pleasant,  Solitude  and  Port  Royal  House,  were  less 
common  than  any  of  the  four  principal  types  men- 
tioned, and  were  little  used  except  for  a  few  decades 
after  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  Like  \ 
six-panel  single  doors,  the  upper  panel  was  often 
almost  square,  and  the  middle  oblong  panel  higher 
than  the  bottom  one  of  the  same  shape.  At  Mount 
Pleasant  the  middle  and  lower  panels  were  of  the 
same  size. 

Eight-panel  single  doors  were  employed  exten- 
sively throughout  the  eighteenth  century,  and  this 
is  one  of  the  most  picturesque  and  distinctive  of 
Philadelphia  types.  For  the  most  part  the  panels 
were  arranged  as  shown  by  the  doors  of  the  Perot- 
Morris,  Powel  and  Wharton  houses  with  a  pair  of 
small  and  large  panels  in  alternation.  Other  no- 
table instances  are  to  be  seen  at  Loudoun,  Chalkley 
Hall  and  the  Blackwell  house.  The  top  or  first  and 
third  pairs  were  about  half  as  high  as  their  width, 
while  the  second  and  fourth  pairs  were  oblong  and 
usually  of  the  same  size,  their  height  about  one  and 
one-half  times  their  width.  The  door  at  Upsala  is  a 
rare  instance  of  the  fourth  pair  of  panels  lower 
than    the    second,    whereas    that    at    Number    301 

[  104] 


Doorways  and  Porches 

South  Seventh  Street  shows  this  type  with  molded 
flat  panels.  As  is  well  shown  by  the  door  of  the 
Perot-Morris  house,  the  fourth  rail  was  the  broad 
lock  rail,  and  as  in  those  days  the  latch  was  often 
separate,  it  was  frequently  placed  on  the  rail  above, 
and  hence  often  referred  to  as  the  latch  rail. 

Another  less  common  type  of  eight-panel  single 
door  is  shown  in  accompanying  illustrations  by 
doors  at  Number  4908  Germantown  Avenue,  Num- 
ber 39  Fisher's  Lane,  Wayne  Junction  and  Number 
224  South  Eighth  Street.  The  panel  arrangement 
consisted  of  three  pairs  of  nearly  square  panels 
above  the  lock  rail  and  one  pair  twice  as  high  below. 
Of  the  doors  mentioned,  that  at  Wayne  Junction 
is  unique  in  its  flat  molded  panels. 

A  corresponding  panel  arrangement  of  double 
doors  is  to  be  seen  at  The  Highlands.  Usually, 
however,  four-panel  double  doors  took  the  alter- 
nate small  and  large  panel  arrangement  and  were 
virtually  halves  of  the  more  common  type  of  eight- 
panel  single  door.  Such  doors  at  Stenton,  Cliveden 
and  the  Morris  house  are  illustrated  in  detail,  and 
similar  ones  gave  entrance  to  Hope  Lodge,  Wood- 
ford and  Vernon.  The  Woodford  doors  are  inter- 
esting for  their  glazed  quatrefoil  openings  in  the 
top  pair  of  panels,  the  Vernon  doors  for  a  handsome 
brass  knocker  on  the  second  panel  of  each  one. 

For  the  most  part  Philadelphia  doorways  were 
deeply  recessed  in  connection  with  stone  construe- 

[105] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

tion  because  of  the  great  thickness  of  the  walls. 
Paneled  jambs  were  let  into  the  reveals  of  the 
opening,  and  whatever  the  panel  arrangement  of 
the  door,  a  corresponding  arrangement  was  fol- 
lowed in  paneling  the  jambs  and  the  soffit  of  the 
arch  or  flat  lintel  above.  Such  a  distinctive  and 
pleasing  feature  did  this  become  that  it  was  widely 
adapted  to  brick  construction,  the  outward  pro- 
jection of  pilasters  and  engaged  columns,  often  both, 
supporting  pediments  and  entablatures  which  had 
the  effect  of  increasing  the  depth  of  brick  walls. 

The  simplest  type  of  Philadelphia  doorway  is 
that  common  to  the  ledge  and  "brick"  stone  farm- 
houses of  Germantown,  of  which  the  doorway  of 
the  Johnson  house  is  perhaps  the  best  example. 
These  houses  usually  had  a  penthouse  roof  along  the 
second-floor  level,  and  as  in  this  instance  a  pediment 
springing  from  this  roof  usually  formed  a  hood 
above  the  doorway.  Although  this  doorway  with 
its  molded  casings,  four-paned  horizontal  transom 
and  single  door  with  six  molded  and  raised  panels 
is  of  the  most  modest  character,  its  simple  lines  and 
good  proportions  present  an  effect  of  picturesque 
charm.  The  door  is  divided  horizontally  into  two 
parts,  after  the  Dutch  manner,  like  many  farmhouse 
doors  of  the  neighborhood.  The  position  of  the 
drop  handle  replacing  the  usual  knob  indicates 
the  size  of  the  great  rim  lock  within,  and  the  grace- 
ful design  of  the  brass  knocker  is  justly  one  of  the 

[106] 


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Plate  XLVII.  —  Dormer,  Witherill  House,  130  North  Front  Street; 

Dormer,  6105  Germantown  Avenue,  Germantown  ;  Foreshortened 

Window,  Morris  House  ;  Dormer,  Stenton  ;  Window  and 

Shutters,  Witherill  House;  Window  and  Blinds, 

6105  Germantown  Avenue. 


Doorways  and  Porches 

most  popular  to-day.  The  seats  flanking  the  en- 
trance are  unique  and  unlike  any  others  in  Phila- 
delphia, although  those  between  the  two  doors  of 
the  Billmeyer  house  near  by  are  similar. 

Substantially  the  same  sort  of  doorway  without 
the  seats  is  to  be  seen  at  the  old  Green  Tree  Inn, 
Number  6019  Germantown  Avenue,  Germantown, 
erected  in  1748.  Here,  however,  the  effect  is  slightly 
enriched  by  a  nicely  hand-tooled  ovolo  molding  in 
the  cornice  of  the  penthouse  roof  that  is  repeated  with 
an  elliptical  fan  design  in  the  pediment  of  the  hood. 

Another  type  of  Philadelphia  doorway  only  a 
little  more  elaborate  than  the  foregoing  is  well  illus- 
trated at  Number  114  League  Street  and  Number 
5933  Germantown  Avenue.  Above  the  architrave 
casing  across  the  lintel  of  these  deeply  recessed 
doorways  a  frieze  and  pediment  form  an  effective 
doorhead.  The  pedimental  League  Street  door- 
head  is  supported  by  hand-carved  consoles  at  oppo- 
site ends,  that  of  the  Germantown  Avenue  doorhead 
by  fluted  pilasters.  An  oval  shell  pattern  adorns 
the  frieze  of  the  former,  while  a  denticulated  mold- 
ing enriches  the  latter.  As  contrasted  with  the 
plain  cased  frame  of  the  former,  the  latter  has 
paneled  jambs  and  soffit,  the  spacing  corresponding 
with  that  of  the  door.  Both  doors  are  of  the  popular 
six-panel  type  with  nicely  molded  and  raised  panels, 
and  both  doorheads  are  elaborated  by  short,  broader 
sections   of  the   vertical  casings  near  the  top.     In 

[  107] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

refinement  of  detail  and  proportion,  and  in  preci- 
sion of  workmanship  the  Germantown  Avenue 
doorway  surpasses  that  on  League  Street. 

But  the  characteristic  type  of  pedimental  door 
trim  in  Philadelphia  takes  a  different  form.  About 
the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  plain  hori- 
zontal transom  above  outside  doors  was  generally 
replaced  by  the  more  graceful  semicircular  fanli 
the  glass  area  of  which  was  divided  by  sash  bars 
leaded  lines  into  numerous  radiating  patterns  of 
more  or  less  grace  and  beauty.  By  omitting  the 
entablature  of  the  common  horizontal  doorhead 
and  breaking  the  base  of  the  pediment,  the  round 
arch  of  the  fanlight  was  made  to  fit  very  nicely 
within  the  sloping  sides  of  the  pediment,  the  key- 
stone of  the  arched  casing  occupying  the  upper 
angle  beneath  the  peak  of  the  gable.  Pilasters  or 
engaged  columns  support  the  pediment,  their  upper 
molded  portion  above  the  necking  being  carried 
across  the  horizontal  lintel  of  the  door  frame.  From 
the  capitals  up  to  the  short  cornice  returns,  replac- 
ing the  usual  base  of  the  pediment,  the  spirit  of  the 
entablature  is  retained  by  pilaster  projections  molded 
after  the  manner  of  cornice,  frieze  and  architrave. 

Excellent  doorways  such  as  this  with  fluted 
pilaster  casings,  single  doors  with  six  molded  and 
raised  panels  of  familiar  arrangement  and  paneled 
jambs  and  soffit  to  correspond  are  to  be  seen  at 
Number   501 1   Germantown   Avenue,   Germantown, 

[108] 


Doorways  and  Porches 

and  Number  247  Pine  Street.  The  former  is  of 
considerable  breadth,  as  Philadelphia  doorways  go, 
and  the  fanlight  is  of  rather  too  intricate  pattern 
and  heavy  scale.  The  latter  is  exceptionally  narrow, 
with  pilasters  in  accord  and  a  fanlight  of  chaste 
simplicity.  Like  many  others  the  door  itself  is 
dark  painted  and  in  striking  contrast  to  the  other 
white  wood  trim.  One  notices  at  once  the  strange 
placing  of  the  knob  at  the  top  rather  than  in  the 
middle  of  the  lock  rail,  and  the  footscraper  in  a 
separate  block  of  marble  in  the  sidewalk  at  one  side 
of  the  marble  steps,  the  inference  being  that  one 
should  scrupulously  wipe  his  feet  before  approach- 
ing the  door. 

Similar  to  these,  but  showing  better  proportion 
and  greater  refinement  of  detail,  is  the  entrance  to 
the  Morris  house,  one  of  the  best  known  doorways 
in  Philadelphia  and  notable  as  one  of  the  relatively 
few  pedimental  doorways  of  this  type  having  the 
high  four-panel  double  doors.  The  pediment 
framing  the  simple  but  very  graceful  fanlight  is 
enriched  by  cornice  moldings,  hand-tooled  to  fine 
scale,  the  soffit  of  the  corona  being  fluted,  the  bed- 
molding  reeded  and  the  dentil  course  being  a  familiar 
Grecian  fret.  Flutings  also  adorn  the  short  archi- 
traves each  side  of  the  fanlight,  and  the  abacus  of 
the  pilaster  columns  which  is  carried  across  a  supple- 
mentary lintel  in  front  of  the  lintel  proper,  the 
latter  being  several  inches  to  the  rear  because  of 

[  109] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

the  deeply  recessed  arrangement  of  the  door.  The 
detail  combines  Doric  and  Ionic  inspiration.  An 
attractive  knocker,  simple  brass  knob  and  excep- 
tionally large  key  plate  indicating  the  great  rim 
lock  within,  lend  a  quaint  charm  to  a  doorway 
distinctly  pleasing  in  its  entirety. 

Two  excellent  doorways  of  this  general  type 
having  paneled  instead  of  fluted  pilaster  casings 
may  be  seen  at  Number  6504  Germantown  Avenue, 
Germantown,  and  Number  701  South  Seventh 
Street.  The  former  is  broad  and  has  a  six-panel 
door  much  like  that  at  Number  501 1  Germantown 
Avenue,  but  the  fanlight  is  of  simpler  pattern  and 
withal  more  pleasing.  A  fine-scale  dentil  course 
lends  interest  to  the  pedimental  cornice,  while  the 
frieze  portions  of  the  entablature  section  of  the 
pilasters  are  elaborated  by  flutings  and  drillings, 
the  latter  suggestive  of  a  festoon.  A  knocker  of 
slender  grace  is  the  best  feature  of  the  hardware. 
The  South  Seventh  Street  entrance,  higher  and 
narrower,  presents  another  example  of  the  dark- 
painted  door  rendered  the  more  interesting  by 
reason  of  its  eight-panel  arrangement,  the  spacing 
being  that  usually  employed  for  double  doors. 
The  wood  trim,  molded  but  nowhere  carved,  com- 
mends itself  for  effective  simplicity.  Two  marble 
steps,  the  upper  one  very  deep,  with  an  attractive 
iron  rail  on  the  buttresses  at  each  side,  complete  a 
doorway  picture  that  is  typically  Philadelphian. 

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Doorways  and  Porches 

Surpassing  both  of  the  foregoing,  however,  is  the 
doorway  at  Number  709  Spruce  Street.  Indeed,  it 
is  among  the  best  of  its  type  in  the  city.  It  has 
the  simple  excellence  in  detail  of  the  South  Seventh 
Street  doorway,  with  better  proportion,  less  height 
of  pediment  and  greater  apparent  breadth,  owing 
to  the  six-panel  arrangement  of  the  door  and  the 
fact  that  it  is  white  like  the  wood  trim  about  it. 
The  only  carved  molding  is  the  Grecian  fret  of  the 
dentil  course  in  the  pedimental  cornice.  Here 
again  another  favorite  knocker  pattern  greets  the 
eye. 

Engaged  round  columns,  usually  smooth  and 
standing  in  front  of  wide  pilasters,  were  often  pleas- 
ing features  of  these  pedimental  doorways.  In  such 
instances  the  projection  was  so  great  that  the  en- 
tablature sections  above  the  columns  were  square, 
and  the  soffit  of  the  corona  in  the  pediment  was 
paneled.  Two  notable  instances  may  be  cited  at 
Number  5200  Germantown  Avenue,  Germantown, 
and  Number  4927  Frankford  Avenue.  Both  have 
the  familiar  six-panel  doors  with  corresponding 
paneled  jambs  and  arch  soffit,  attractively  simple 
fanlights  and  much  fine-scale  hand  carving  in  the 
pedimental  cornice  and  architrave  casing  of  the 
keyed  arch.  The  former  displays  better  taste. 
Effective  use  is  made  of  a  reeded  ovolo,  and  the 
fascia  of  the  architrave  bears  a  pleasing  hand-tooled 
band  of  vertical  flutes  with  a  festooned  flat  fillet 

[mi 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

running  through  it.  The  most  distinctive  feature, 
however,  is  the  double  denticulated  molding  of  the 
pedimental  cornice  with  prominent  drilled  holes 
in  each  dentil  alternately  at  top  and  bottom. 

Although  representing  a  high  degree  of  the  wood- 
carvers'  art,  the  other  doorway  is  rather  over- 
ornate  in  its  detail.  The  reeded  ovolo  is  again 
prominent,  and  the  fascia  of  the  architrave  of  the 
arch  bears  a  familiar  decorative  motive  consisting 
of  groups  of  five  flutes  in  alternation  with  a  con- 
ventionalized flower.  The  dentil  course  of  the 
pedimental  cornice  takes  the  form  of  a  peculiar 
reeded  H  pattern  which  is  repeated  in  much  finer 
scale  on  the  edge  of  the  corona,  the  abacus  of  the 
capitals  and  its  continuation  across  the  lintel  of  the 
door.  Least  pleasing  of  all  is  the  fluting  of  the 
frieze  portion  of  the  entablature  sections  with  three 
sets  of  drillings  suggestive  of  festoons. 

Another  admirable  type  of  doorway,  of  which  there 
are  many  examples  in  Philadelphia,  frames  the  high, 
round-headed  arch  of  the  doorway  with  tall,  slender 
engaged  columns  supporting  a  massive  entablature 
above  the  semicircular  fanlight  over  the  door. 
Almost  without  exception  the  entablature  is  some 
variation  of  the  Ionic  order  with  denticulated  bed- 
mold  in  the  cornice,  plain  flat  frieze  and  molded 
architrave,  the  latter  sometimes  enriched  by  incised 
decorative  bands.  The  columns  are  Doric  and 
smooth.     They    stand    in    front    of    more    widely 

[n«] 


Doorways  and  Porches 

spaced  pilasters,  which  are  virtually  a  broadening 
of  the  casings  of  the  door  frame,  and  which  support 
a  second  entablature  back  of  the  first  and  somewhat 
wider.  The  two  combined  form  a  doorhead  with 
projection  almost  equal  to  a  hood,  but  the  effect  is 
far  more  stately. 

Such  a  doorway  in  its  simplest  form,  with  columns 
tapering  considerably  toward  the  top,  in  accordance 
with  a  prevalent  local  custom  of  the  time,  is  to  be 
seen  on  the  Powel  house,  Number  244  South  Third 
Street.  The  sash  divisions  of  the  fanlight  are 
unique,  suggesting  both  Gothic  tracery  and  the 
lotus  flower.  The  single,  high  eight-panel  door 
recalls  many  having  a  similar  arrangement  of 
molded  and  raised  panels,  but  differs  from  most  of 
them  in  that  the  lock  rail  is  about  double  the  width 
of  the  two  rails  above. 

Narrower,  with  more  slender  columns,  and  thus 
seemingly  higher,  is  the  doorway  of  the  Wharton 
house,  Number  336  Spruce  Street.  While  the 
entablature  is  generally  similar,  the  moldings  adhere 
less  closely  to  the  classic  order,  and  the  same  is  true 
of  the  exceptionally  slender  columns.  An  enriched 
ovolo  suggesting  a  quarter  section  of  a  cylinder  and 
two  disks  in  alternation  lends  added  refinement  to 
the  paneled  jambs  and  the  architrave  casing  of  the 
arch  with  its  hand-carved  keystone.  The  fanlight 
is  of  simple  but  pleasing  pattern,  and  the  eight- 
panel  door  is  of  characteristic  design. 

["3] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

At  Number  301  South  Seventh  Street  the  door- 
way itself  strongly  resembles  that  of  the  Powel 
house,  except  that  it  is  higher,  narrower  and  rather 
lighter  in  scale.  However,  the  wing  flights  of  stone 
steps  on  the  sidewalk  leading  to  a  broad  landing 
before  the  door  and  the  handsome  wrought-iron  rail 
lend  individuality  and  rare  charm  to  this  notable 
example  of  a  familiar  type. 

The  doorway  of  Grumblethorpe,  Number  5621 
Germantown  Avenue,  Germantown,  differs  little 
in  general  appearance,  if  considerably  in  detail, 
from  that  of  the  Powel  house.  One  notices  first 
how  deeply  recessed  it  is  because  of  the  thickness 
of  the  stone  walls.  With  the  projecting  entabla- 
ture it  affords  almost  as  much  shelter  as  a  porch. 
The  single  door  next  attracts  attention.  Of  six- 
panel  and  familiar  arrangement,  it  differs  from 
most  of  this  sort  in  having  a  double  stile  in  the 
middle,  the  effect  simulating  double  doors.  A 
simple,  hand-tooled  ovolo  ornaments  the  jambs  and 
architrave  casings  of  the  keyed  arch.  It  is  also 
repeated  above  the  double  denticulated  member  of 
the  cornice,  the  latter  enriched  by  a  hole  drilled  in 
each  dentil  alternately  above  and  below.  Dainti- 
ness and  simplicity  characterize  the  fanlight  pattern 
set  in  lead  lines. 

The  doorway  at  Number  6105  Germantown 
Avenue,  Germantown,  may  be  regarded  as  one  of 
the  best  of  the  more  ornate  examples  of  this  type. 

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Doorways  and  Porches 

It  has  fluted  columns,  an  intricately  hand-tooled 
dentil  course  in  the  cornice,  richly  incised  architraves 
and  carved  ovolo  moldings.  The  denticulated  mold- 
ing has  fluted  dentils  with  horizontal  connecting 
members  forming  a  sort  of  continuous  H  pattern. 
An  incised  band  of  dainty  grace  adorns  the  archi- 
trave of  the  entablature.  It  consists  of  groups  of 
five  vertical  flutes  in  alternation  with  drillings 
forming  upward  and  downward  arcs  or  double 
festoons.  The  architrave  of  the  arch  and  lintel  has  a 
slightly  different  incised  pattern.  There  are  the 
same  fluted  groups  with  oval  ornaments  composed 
of  drillings  between.  The  door  itself  is  of  the 
regulation  six-panel  arrangement. 

Few  doorways  in  the  Corinthian  order  are  to  be 
found  in  what  may  properly  be  termed  the  Colonial 
architecture  of  Philadelphia,  for  this  order  was 
little  used  by  American  builders  until  early  in  the 
nineteenth  century.  The  doorway  of  Doctor  Den- 
ton's house  in  Germantown  instances  its  employ- 
ment in  a  somewhat  original  manner.  The  entabla- 
ture follows  the  classic  order  closely,  except  for  the 
tiny  consoles  of  the  dentil  course  and  the  incised 
decoration  of  the  upper  fascia  of  the  architrave, 
consisting  of  a  band  of  elongated  hexagons  which 
is  repeated  across  the  lintel  of  the  door  and  the 
imposts  of  the  arch.  A  Latin  quotation,  "Procuc 
este  profans",  meaning  "Be  far  from  here  that 
which  is  unholy",  is  carved  in  the  architrave  casing 

[115] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

over  the  fanlight.  The  columns  are  fluted,  but 
have  the  Doric  rather  than  the  usual  Corinthian 
capitals.  Double  blind  doors  such  as  are  a  feature 
of  this  entrance  were  the  predecessor  of  the  modern 
screen  door.  Arbor  vitae  trees  in  square  wooden  tubs 
on  the  broad  top  step  each  side  of  the  doorway  com- 
plete a  formal  treatment  of  dignity  and  attractiveness. 
Rarely  occurred  a  doorway  having  a  complete 
entablature  above  a  fanlight  surmounted  by  a 
pediment.  The  east  and  west  entrances  of  Mount 
Pleasant  offer  two  splendid  examples,  massive  and 
dignified.  While  much  alike  in  several  respects, 
they  differ  sufficiently  in  detail  to  afford  an  inter- 
esting comparison.  In  size  and  general  arrangement 
in  their  double  three-panel  doors  and  smooth  col- 
umns, they  greatly  resemble  each  other.  Although 
not  pure,  the  doorway  of  the  west  or  river  front  is 
essentially  Tuscan  and  of  the  utmost  simplicity. 
Its  chief  distinction  lies  in  the  rustication  of  the 
casings,  jambs  and  soffit,  simulating  stonework, 
and  the  heavy  fanlight  sash  with  its  openings  com- 
bining the  keystone  and  arch  in  outline.  The  door- 
way of  the  east  front,  which  is  the  entrance  from 
the  drive,  is  Doric  and  has  the  customary  triglyphs, 
mutules  and  guttae.  There  is  the  same  rustication 
of  casings  and  jambs  up  to  the  height  of  the  doors, 
but  molded  spandrils  occupy  the  spaces  each  side 
of  the  round  arch  with  its  wide  ornate  keystone. 
Exceptionally  broad   tapering    and    fluted    mullions 

[116] 


Doorways  and  Porches 

lend  distinction  to  the  heavy  fanlight  sash  with  its 
round-ended  openings.  Neither  of  these  doorways 
has  the  double  projection  of  those  previously  de- 
scribed. The  background  pilasters  are  omitted, 
and  the  engaged  columns  stand  directly  against 
the  stone  masonry.  A  beautiful  Palladian  window 
in  the  second-story  wall  above  each  doorway  forms 
a  closely  related  feature,  the  two  being  virtually 
parts  of  the  same  effect. 

Oftener,  where  an  entablature  supported  by  en- 
gaged columns  was  surmounted  by  a  pediment,  the 
fanlight  over  the  door  was  omitted.  Of  the  several 
instances  in  Philadelphia,  the  best  known  is  un- 
doubtedly the  classic  doorway  of  Cliveden,  about 
which  the  Battle  of  Germantown  raged  most  fiercely. 
The  damage  done  by  cannon  balls  to  the  stone 
steps  may  still  be  plainly  seen.  This  doorway  is 
one  of  the  finest  specimens  of  pure  mutulary  Doric 
in  America,  very  stately  and  somewhat  severe. 
Every  detail  is  well-nigh  perfect,  and  the  propor- 
tions could  hardly  be  better.  A  similar  arrange- 
ment of  the  high,  narrow,  four-panel  double  doors 
is  found  elsewhere  in  Philadelphia,  while  the  blinds 
used  instead  of  screen  doors  recall  those  of  Doctor 
Denton's  house,  although  divided  by  two  rails 
respectively  toward  the  top  and  bottom  into  three 
sections,  the  middle  section  being  the  largest.  Two 
small  drop  handles  with  pendant  rings  comprise  the 
entire  visible  complement  of  hardware  on  the  doors. 

[»7i 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

As  compared  with  the  east  entrance  of  Mount 
Pleasant,  the  Cliveden  detail  is  richer  in  the  paneled 
soffits  of  the  corona  and  the  paneled  metopes  in 
alternation  with  the  triglyphs  of  the  frieze.  One 
notices  also  that  it  is  not  deeply  recessed  according 
to  the  prevailing  custom  in  the  case  of  stone  houses. 

Another  doorway  of  this  general  character  and 
having  double  doors  is  the  entrance  to  Solitude. 
Conventionally  Ionic  in  detail,  with  smooth  columns 
and  voluted  capitals,  it  pleases  the  eye  but  lacks 
the  impressiveness  of  the  doorway  at  Cliveden. 
The  three-panel  double  doors  are  narrower,  and  this 
fact  is  emphasized  by  the  deep  recess  with  paneled 
jambs.  There  is  but  one  broad  step,  which  also 
serves  as  the  threshold. 

The  doorway  of  the  Perot-Morris  house,  deeply 
recessed  because  of  the  thick  stone  walls,  presents 
at  its  best  another  variation  of  this  sturdiest  of 
Philadelphia  types  with  a  single,  eight-panel, 
dark-painted  door  and  a  very  broad  top  stone  step 
before  it.  Virtually  a  pure  Tuscan  adaptation,  it 
differs  in  a  few  particulars  from  others  of  similar 
character,  notably  in  the  pronounced  tapering  of 
the  columns  toward  the  top  and  the  recessing  of  the 
entablature  above  the  door  to  form  pilaster .  pro- 
jections above  the  columns.  In  other  words,  the 
recessed  entablature  of  this  doorhead  replaces  the 
fanlight  of  another  type  already  referred  to  and  of 
which  the  doorways  at  Number  5200  Germantown 

[us] 


Plate  LIII.  —  Palladian  Window,  The  Woodlands. 


Doorways  and  Porches 

Avenue  and  Number  4927  Frankford  Avenue  are 
examples.  The  brass  knob,  the  heavy  iron  latch 
and  fastenings  inside  are  the  ones  Washington, 
Jefferson,  Hamilton,  Knox  and  Randolph  handled 
in  passing  in  and  out  during  Washington's  occu- 
pancy. 

Above  the  pediment  is  to  be  plainly  seen  the 
picturesque,  cast-iron,  hand-in-hand  fire  mark  about 
a  foot  high,  consisting  of  four  clasped  hands  crossed 
in  the  unbreakable  gra6p  of  "My  Lady  Goes  to 
London"  of  childhood  days.  This  ancient  design, 
to  be  seen  on  the  Morris,  Betsy  Ross  and  numerous 
other  houses,  was  that  of  the  oldest  fire  insurance 
company  in  the  United  States,  organized  in  1752 
under  Franklin's  leadership.  This  and  other  de- 
signs, such  as  the  green  tree,  eagle,  hand  fire  engine 
and  hose  and  hydrant  still  remain  on  many  old 
Philadelphia  buildings,  indicating  in  earlier  years 
which  company  held  the  policy.  For  a  long  time  it 
was  the  custom  to  place  these  emblems  on  all  insured 
houses,  the  principal  reason  for  doing  so  being  that 
certain  volunteer  fire  companies  were  financed  or  as- 
sisted by  certain  insurance  companies  and  conse- 
quently made  special  efforts  to  save  burning  houses 
insured  by  the  company  concerned. 

Porches  were  the  exception  rather  than  the  rule 
in  the  early  architecture  of  Philadelphia.  Only  a 
few  old  Colonial  houses  now  remaining  have  them, 
and  for  the  most  part  they  are  entrances  to  coun- 

[119] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

tryseats  in  the  present  suburbs  rather  than  to  resi- 
dences in  the  city  proper.  The  Highlands  and 
Hope  Lodge  have  such  porches  to  which  reference 
has  already  been  made  in  connection  with  thf 
houses  themselves.  Of  scant  architectural  merit, 
the  porch  at  Hope  Lodge  may  possibly  be  of  more 
recent  origin  than  the  house.  Except  for  the 
narrow  double  doors  the  entrance  to  The  Highlands 
is  strongly  reminiscent  of  New  England  doorways 
and  porches.  Both  have  hipped  roofs  so  low  as  to 
be  almost  flat. 

A  splendid  example  of  the  gable  roof  or  pedimental 
porch  more  typical  of  Philadelphia  architecture  is 
that  at  Upsala.  Although  displaying  free  use  of 
the  orders,  it  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  in  Amer- 
ica. On  a  square  stone  platform  reached  by  three 
broad  stone  steps,  slender,  fluted  Doric  columns, 
with  engaged  columns  each  side  of  the  doorway, 
support  a  roof  in  the  form  of  a  pediment  of  generally 
Ionic  character,  the  architrave  and  cornice  being 
notable  for  fine-scale  hand  tooling.  It  will  be 
noticed  that  the  motive  of  the  cornice  with  its  jig- 
sawed  modillions,  rope  molding  and  enriched  dentil 
course  suggests  Ionic  influence ;  that  of  the  archi- 
trave, with  its  groups  of  five  vertical  flutings  in 
alternation  with  an  incised  conventionalized  flower, 
Doric.  The  same  entablature  is  carried  about  the 
inside  of  the  roof,  projecting  over  the  doorway  to 
form   a   much   favored   Philadelphia   doorhead   sup- 

[  120] 


Doorways  and  Porches 

ported  by  flanking  engaged  columns.  The  doorway 
itself  is  distinctly  of  Philadelphia  type,  high,  rela- 
tively narrow,  and  deeply  recessed,  with  the  soffit 
of  the  arch  and  the  cheeks  of  the  jambs  beautifully 
paneled  and  a  handsome  semicircular  fanlight  above 
the  single  eight-panel  door  but  with  no  side  lights. 
The  effect  of  the  keystone  and  imposts,  also  the 
enrichment  of  the  semicircular  architrave  casings 
are  characteristic.  The  paneling  of  the  door  con- 
sists of  pairs  of  small  and  large  panels  in  alternation, 
the  upper  pair  of  large  panels  being  noticeably 
higher  than  the  lower  pair. 

Of  far  more  modest  character  is  the  porch  of  the 
old  Henry  house,  Number  4908  Germantown  Avenue, 
long  occupied  by  Doctor  W.  S.  Ambler.  It  is  much 
smaller,  extremely  simple  in  its  detail  and  of  gen- 
erally less  pleasing  proportions.  Two  slender, 
smooth  columns  and  corresponding  pilasters  on  the 
wall  of  the  house  support  a  pediment  rather  too 
flat  for  good  appearance.  Except  for  the  Ionic 
capitals,  the  detail  is  rather  nondescript  as  to  its 
order.  The  round-arched,  deeply  recessed  doorway 
has  the  usual  paneled  jambs  and  soffit,  but  the 
reeded  casings  and  square  impost  blocks  are  of  the 
sort  that  came  into  vogue  about  the  beginning  of  the 
nineteenth  century.  The  single  door  with  its  eight 
molded  and  raised  panels  is  of  that  type,  having 
three  pairs  of  small  panels  of  uniform  size  above  a 
single  pair  of  high  panels,  the  lock  rail  being  more 

[121) 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

than  double  the  width  of  the  rails  above  and  wider 
than  the  bottom  rail.  Unlike  the  usual  fanlight, 
this  one  is  patterned  after  a  much  used  Palladian 
window  with  sash  bar  divisions  suggested  by  Gothic 
tracery. 

At  Number  39  Fisher's  Lane,  Wayne  Junction,  in 
connection  with  a  doorway  much  like  the  above, 
is  an  elliptical  porch  much  like  those  of  Salem, 
Massachusetts,  although  devoid  of  their  excellent 
proportion  and  nicety  of  detail.  Both  the  porch 
platform  and  steps  are  of  wood,  but  the  slender, 
smooth  columns  supporting  the  roof,  which  takes  the 
form  of  an  entablature,  stand  on  high  stone  bases. 
Only  simple  moldings  have  been  employed,  and  the 
detail  can  hardly  be  said  to  belong  to  any  particular 
order  of  architecture.  The  door  itself  is  unusual  in 
having  molded  flat  rather  than  raised  panels,  while 
the  fanlight  is  of  more  conventional  pattern  than 
that  of  the  Henry  house. 

Side  lights  and  elliptical  fanlights,  so  characteristic 
of  New  England  doorways,  are  as  rare  as  porches 
in  the  Colonial  architecture  of  Philadelphia.  The 
entrance  of  The  Highlands  is  thus  unique  in  com- 
bining the  three.  The  doorway  at  Number  224 
South  Eighth  Street  has  the  New  England  spirit 
in  its  breadth  and  general  proportion ;  in  the  beauty 
of  its  leaded  side  lights  and  fanlight,  but  the  broad 
stone  steps  on  the  sidewalk  and  the  iron  rails  are 
typically    Philadelphian.     So,   too,    is   the  paneling 

[  122] 


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Doorways  and  Porches 

of  the  wide  single  door.  The  ornate  woodwork  of 
the  frame  and  casings,  however,  especially  the 
frieze  across  the  lintel,  with  its  oval  and  elliptical 
fluted  designs  elaborately  hand-tooled,  suggests  the 
Dutch  influence  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey. 
The  iron  rails  of  the  steps  present  an  interesting 
instance  of  the  adaptation  of  Gothic  tracery,  arches 
and  quatrefoils. 

The  front  doorway  at  Stenton  may  be  regarded 
as  the  earliest  instance  of  side  lights  in  Philadelphia, 
and  one  of  the  earliest  in  America.  The  width  of 
the  brick  piers  or  mullions  is  such,  however,  that 
there  are  virtually  two  high  narrow  windows  rather 
than  side  lights  in  the  commonly  accepted  sense  of 
the  term.  Indeed,  they  are  treated  as  such,  being 
divided  into  upper  and  lower  sashes  like  those  of  the 
other  windows,  only  narrower.  Neither  door  nor 
windows  have  casings,  the  molded  frames  being  let 
into  the  reveals  of  the  brickwork  and  the  openings, 
as  in  most  early  Colonial  structures,  having  relieving 
arches  with  brick  cores.  A  six-paned,  horizontal 
toplight  above  the  doors  corresponds  in  scale  with 
the  windows.  This  simple  entrance,  with  its  high, 
narrow,  four-panel  doors  having  neither  knob  or 
latch,  is  reached  from  a  brick-paved  walk  about  the 
house  by  three  semicircular  stone  steps,  such  as  were 
common  in  England  at  the  time,  the  various  nicely 
hewn  pieces  being  fastened  securely  together  with 
iron  bands.     Severity  is  written  in  every  line,  yet 

[  123  1 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

there  is  a  picturesque  charm  about  this  quaint  door- 
way that  attracts  all  who  see  it.  In  this  the 
warmth  and  texture  of  the  brickwork  play  a  large 
part,  but  much  is  also  due  to  the  flanking  slender 
trellises  supporting  vines  which  have  spread  over  the 
brickwork  above  in  the  most  fascinating  manner. 

Toward  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century 
and  for  a  few  decades  thereafter,  under  the  influence 
of  the  Greek  revival,  a  new  type  of  round-arched 
doorway  was  developed  in  Philadelphia, — broader, 
simpler,  heavier  in  treatment  than  most  of  the  fore- 
going. There  were  no  ornamental  casings,  the  only 
woodwork  being  the  heavy  frame  let  into  the  reveals 
of  the  brick  wall.  Above  a  horizontal  lintel  treated 
after  the  manner  of  an  architrave  the  semicircular 
fanlight  was  set  in  highly  ornamental  lead  lines 
forming  a  decorative  geometrical  pattern.  Double 
doors  were  the  rule,  most  of  them  four-panel  with 
a  small  and  large  panel  in  alternation  like  many 
earlier  doors,  but  the  panels  were  molded  and  sunken 
rather  than  raised.  In  a  few  instances  there  was  a 
single  vertical  panel  to  each  door,  sometimes  round- 
topped  as  on  the  doors  of  the  Randolph  house, 
Number  321  South  Fourth  Street. 

The  most  distinctive  of  these  doorways  is  that 
at  the  southeast  corner  of  Eighth  and  Spruce  streets, 
where  elliptical  winding  flights  lead  to  a  landing 
before  the  door.  The  ironwork  is  undoubtedly 
among  the  most  graceful  and  best  preserved  in  the 

[  124] 


Doorways  and  Porches 

city.  This  low,  broad  entrance  resembles  Southern 
doorways  rather  than  the  Philadelphia  type,  although 
there  are  a  few  others  of  similar  character  near  by. 
The  wide,  flat  casings  and  single-panel  doors  seem 
severe  indeed  by  comparison  with  most  of  the 
earlier  doorways  with  their  greater  flexibility  of  line. 

Generally  similar,  the  doorway  of  the  old  Shippen 
mansion,  Number  1109  Walnut  Street,  with  its 
straight  flight  of  stone  steps  unadorned  in  any  way, 
is  less  attractive  except  in  the  paneling  of  the  doors. 
It  lacks  the  grace  of  the  winding  stairs  and  the 
charm  of  the  iron  balustrade  so  much  admired  in  the 
former.  The  fanlight  pattern,  good  as  it  is,  fails 
to  make  as  strong  an  appeal  as  that  of  the  other 
doorway. 

At  the  northeast  corner  of  Third  and  Pine  streets 
is  to  be  found  a  very  narrow  doorway  of  this  char- 
acter, its  double  doors  paneled  like  those  of  the 
Shippen  mansion  and  its  graceful  fanlight  pattern 
more  like  that  of  the  doorway  at  Eighth  and  Spruce 
streets,  though  differing  considerably  in  detail. 
Like  many  others  in  Philadelphia  this  doorway  is 
reached  by  four  stone  steps  leading  to  a  square 
stone  platform,  the  entire  construction  being  on  the 
brick-paved  sidewalk.  The  simple,  slender  rail  of 
wrought  iron,  its  chief  decoration  a  repeated  spiral, 
is  the  best  feature. 

Philadelphia,  perhaps  more  than  any  other  Ameri- 
can~city,  is  famous  for  the  profusion  and  beauty  of 

[  125 1 


) 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

its  ironwork,  wrought  and  cast.     For  the  most  part 
it  took  the  form  of  stair  rails  or  balustrades,  fences 


and  foot  scrapers,  and  many  are  the  doorways  of 
little  or  no  architectural  merit  which  are  rendered 
beautiful  \>y  the  accompanying  ironwork.  On  the 
other  hand,  accompanying  illustrations  already  dis- 
cussed show  the  rare  beauty  of  architecturally 
notable  doorways  enriched  by  the  addition  of  good 
ironwork. 

Fences  were  the  exception  rather  than  the  rule  in 
Colonial  times,  although  rarely  employed  along  the 
front  of  a  house  to  prevent  passers  from  accidentally 
stepping  into  areaways  in  the  sidewalk  in  front  of 
basement  windows.  The  danger  of  such  a  catas- 
trophe was  remote,  however,  for  Philadelphia  side- 
walks were  very  broad  in  order  to  make  room  for 
the  customary  stoop  before  the  doorway  and  the 
frequent  rolling  way  or  basement  entrance.  These 
sidewalk  obstructions  being  the  rule,  people  formed 
the  habit  of  walking  near  the  curb,  and  accidents 
were  thus  avoided.  It  was  not  until  late  in  the 
nineteenth  century,  when  basement  entrances  with 
an  open  stairway  along  the  front  of  the  house  began 
to  be  provided,  that  fences  came  into  vogue,  except 
in  the  suburbs,  where  a  small  front  yard  was  some- 
times surrounded  by  an  iron  fence. 

Stoops  divide  themselves  into  four  principal  classes, 
of  which  the  first,  consisting  only  of  a  single  broad 
stone    step    before    the    doorway,    perhaps    hardly 

[126] 


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Cliveden. 


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Doorways  and  Porches 

warrants  the  term.  As  at  Grumblethorpe  and  the 
Morris  house,  these  broad  stone  steps  often  had  no 
ironwork  other  than  a  foot  scraper  set  in  one  end  or 
in  the  sidewalk  near  by.  Again,  as  at  the  entrance 
to  the  Wistar  house,  there  were  iron  handrails  or 
balustrades  at  both  sides.  Less  common,  though 
by  no  means  infrequent,  were  the  stoops  of  this  sort 
with  a  single  handrail  at  one  side. 

These  handrails  or  balustrades,  replacing  the 
stone  parapets  so  common  in  other  American  cities, 
are  patterned  after  the  cathedral  grilles  and  screens 
of  the  Middle  Ages  and  consist  of  both  Gothic  and 
Classic  detail  utilized  with  ingenuity  and  good  taste. 
Most  of  the  earlier  designs  are  hand  wrought.  Later, 
cast  iron  came  into  use,  and  much  of  the  most  in- 
teresting ironwork  combines  the  two.  The  balus- 
trade at  the  Wistar  house  just  referred  to  is  a  typical 
example  of  excellent  cast-iron  work,  the  design  con- 
sisting of  a  diaper  pattern  of  Gothic  tracery  with 
harmonious   decorative  bands   above  and  below. 

The  Germantown  farmhouse  presents  another 
variant  of  this  first  and  simplest  type  of  stoop  with 
a  hooded  penthouse  roof  above  and  quaint  side 
seats  flanking  the  doorway.  As  at  the  Johnson 
house,  the  broad  stone  step  was  sometimes  flush 
with  the  sidewalk  pavement. 

The  second  type  of  stoop  consists  of  a  broad  stone 
step  or  platform  before  the  door  with  a  straight 
flight  of   stone   steps   leading   up   to   it.     Cliveden, 

[127] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

Mount  Pleasant  and  Doctor  Denton's  house  are 
notable  instances  of  such  stoops  without  handrails 
of  any  sort.  The  Powel  house  stoop  of  this  type 
has  one  of  the  simplest  wrought-iron  rails  in  the 
city,  while  that  of  the  house  at  Number  224  South 
Eighth  Street,  with  its  effective  Gothic  detail,  com- 
bines wrought  and  cast  iron.  Two  very  effective 
wrought-iron  handrails  for  stoops  of  this  type, 
depending  almost  entirely  upon,  scroll  work  at  the 
top  and  bottom  for  their  elaboration,  are  to  be  seen 
at  Number  130  Race  Street  and  Number  216  South 
Ninth  Street,  the  handsome  scroll  pattern  of  the 
latter  being  the  same  as  at  the  southeast  corner  of 
Seventh  and  Spruce  streets,  already  referred  to, 
and  the  former  being  given  a  distinctive  touch  by 
two  large  balls  used  as  newels.  Sometimes,  as  at 
Number  701  South  Seventh  Street,  there  was  only 
one  step  between  the  platform  of  the  stoop  and  the 
sidewalk,  when  its  appearance  was  essentially  the 
same  as  a  stoop  of  the  first  type  such  as  that  of  the 
Wistar  house. 

The  third  type  of  stoop  has  the  same  broad  plat- 
form before  the  door,  but  the  flight  of  steps  is  along 
the  front  of  the  house  at  one  side  rather  than  directly 
in  front.  While  these  were  oftener  straight,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  doorway  at  the  northeast  corner  of 
Third  and  Pine  streets,  already  referred  to,  they 
were  frequently  curved,  as  at  Number  316  South 
Third  Street.     Both  have  a  wrought-iron  rail  with 

[128] 


Doorways   and  Porches 

the  same  scroll  pattern  of  effective  simplicity,  a 
pattern  much  favored  in  modern  adaptation.  An- 
other stoop  of  this  type  at  Number  272  South  Ameri- 
can Street  is  high  enough  to  permit  a  basement 
entrance  beneath  the  platform.  The  ironwork  is 
beautifully  hand-wrought  in  the  Florentine  manner, 
its  elaborate  scroll  pattern  beneath  an  evolute  spiral 
band  combining  round  ball  spindles  with  flat  bent 
fillets,  and  the  curved  newel  treatment  at  each  side 
adding  materially  to  the  grace  of  the  whole. 

The  fourth  type  of  stoop  has  double  or  wing 
flights  each  side  of  the  platform  before  the  door. 
The  doorway  at  Number  301  South  Seventh  Street, 
already  referred  to,  is  the  most  notable  instance  of 
straight  flights  in  Philadelphia,  while  that  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  Eighth  and  Spruce  streets 
occupies  the  same  position  in  respect  to  curved 
flights.  The  wrought  ironwork  of  the  latter  is 
superb.  Rich  in  effect,  yet  essentially  simple  in 
design,  it  has  grace  in  every  line,  is  not  too  ornate 
and  displays  splendid  workmanship.  Again  a  spiral 
design  is  conspicuous  in  the  stair  balustrades,  and 
the  curved  newel  treatment  recalls  that  of  the 
foregoing  stoop.  The  balustrade  of  the  platform 
consists  of  a  simple  diaper  pattern  of  intersecting 
arcs  with  the  familiar  evolute  band  above  and 
below.  The  wing  flight  was  a  convenient  arrange- 
ment for  double  houses,  as  instanced  by  the  old 
Billmeyer  house  in  Germantown,   with   its   exceed- 

[  129  1 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

ingly  plain  iron  handrail  and  straight  spindles.  Of 
more  interest  is  the  balustrade  at  Number  207  La 
Grange  Alley  with  its  evolute  spiral  band  and 
slender  ball  spindles  beneath. 

During  the  nineteenth  century  more  attention  was 
given  to  newels  in  ironwork,  and  elaborate  square 
posts  combining  cast  and  wrought  pieces  were  con- 
structed, such  as  that  at  Fourth  and  Liberty  streets. 
In  the  accompanying  balustrade  are  to  be  seen 
motives  much  employed  in  the  other  examples  here 
illustrated.  Scroll  work  is  conspicuous,  as  are 
rosettes,  but  a  touch  of  individuality  is  given  by  a 
Grecian  band  instead  of  the  more  common  evolute 
spiral  above  the  diaper  pattern.  The  pineapple, 
emblem  of  hospitality,  was  attractive  in  cast  iron 
and  as  utilized  at  Number  11 07  Walnut  Street  pro- 
vided a  distinctive  newel. 

The  roads  on  the  outskirts  of  all  Colonial  cities 
were  very  bad,  and  many  of  the  less  important  streets 
of  Philadelphia  had  neither  pavements  nor  side- 
walks. After  rains  shoes  were  bemired  in  walking, 
and  as  rubbers  were  then  unknown  it  was  necessary 
to  remove  the  mud  from  the  shoes  before  entering  a 
house.  Foot  scrapers  on  the  doorstep  or  at  the 
foot  of  the  front  steps  were  a  necessity  and  became 
ornamental  adjuncts  of  the  doorways  of  early 
Colonial  homes.  For  the  most  part  of  wrought 
iron,  some  of  the  later  ones  were  cast  in  molds, 
that  at  Wyck  being  a  particularly  interesting  ex- 

[  130] 


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w 

< 

PL, 


Plate    LIX. — 


Staircase    Detail,    Upsala ;    Staircase    Balustrade, 
Gowen  House,  Mount  Airy. 


Doorways  and  Porches 

ample.  It  consists  of  two  grotesque  griffins  back 
to  back,  their  wings  joined  tip  to  tip  forming  the 
scraper  edge,  and  the  whole  being  mounted  in  a 
large  tray  with  turned-up  edges.  This  scraper  can 
thus  be  moved  about  as  desired,  and  the  tray  catches 
the  scrapings,  which  can  be  emptied  occasionally 
without  sweeping  the  entire  doorstep. 

Some  of  the  earlier  and  simpler  scrapers,  such  as 
that  at  Third  and  Spruce  streets,  consisted  merely  of 
two  upright  standards  with  a  sharp-edged  horizon- 
tal bar  between  them  to  provide  the  scraper  proper. 
This  horizontal  part  was  made  quite  broad  to  take 
care  of  anticipated  wear,  which  in  this  particular 
instance  has  been  great  during  the  intervening 
years. 

Similar  to  this,  except  for  the  well-wrought  tops 
of  the  standards  and  the  curved  supplementary 
supports,  is  the  scraper  of  the  Dirck  Keyser  door- 
way, Number  6205  Germantown  Avenue,  German- 
town.  Regarded  as  a  whole  this  design  suggests 
nothing  so  much  as  the  back  and  arms  of  an  early 
English  armchair. 

On  the  same  page  with  these  is  shown  another 
strange  Philadelphia  scraper.  Apart  from  its  out- 
line it  has  no  decoration,  and  what  the  origin  of  the 
design  may  be  it  is  difficult  to  determine.  To  a 
degree,  however,  it  resembles  two  crude,  ancient 
battle-axes,   the   handles   forming   the   scraper   bar. 

A  favorite  design  consisted  of  a  sort  of  inverted 

1 131 1 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

oxbow  with  the  curved  part  at  the  top  and  the  scraper 
bar  taking  some  ornamental  pattern  across  the  bot- 
tom from  side  to  side.  At  the  top,  both  outside 
and  inside  the  bow,  and  sometimes  down  the  sides, 
^  spiral  ornaments  were  applied  in  the  Florentine 
/  manner.  Accompanying  illustrations  show  two 
(  scrapers  of  this  type  at  Number  320  South  Third 
^"street  and  another  one  elsewhere  on  the  same 
street.  The  use  of  a  little  urn-shaped  ornament  at 
the  top  of  the  latter  scraper  is  most  effective. 

At  Number  239  Pine  Street  is  seen  a  scraper  em- 
ploying two  large  spirals  themselves  as  supports  for 
the  scraper  bar.  The  turn  of  the  spiral  is  here 
outward  as  contrasted  with  the  inward  turn  of  the 
scrapers  at  Upsala. 

A  scraper  of  quaint  simplicity  standing  on  one 
central  standard  at  Vernon,  Germantown,  suggests 
the  heart  as  its  motive,  although  having  outward 
as  well  as  inward  curling  spirals  at  the  top. 

Another  clever  device  of  Philadelphia  ironworkers 
was  to  make  the  foot  scraper  a  part  of  the  iron 
stair  rail.  Usually  in  such  a  scheme  it  was  also  made 
part  of  the  newel  treatment  on  the  lower  step  of  the 
stoop,  but  at  Seventh  and  Locust  streets,  for  ex- 
ample, it  stands  on  the  second  step  beside  and  above 
the  ornate  round  newel  with  its  surmounting  pine- 
apple. Here,  as  in  the  case  of  the  simpler  handrail 
in  South  Seventh  Street,  one  of  the  iron  spindles  of 
the  rail  is  split  about  a  foot  from  the  bottom,  and 

[  132] 


Doorways  and  Porches 

the  two  halves  bent  respectively  to  the  right  and  left 
until  they  meet  the  next  spindle  on  each  side,  the 
scraper  bar  of  ornamental   outline   being   fastened 
across  from  one  to  the  other  of  these  spindles  below. 
The  principal  charm  of  the  South  Seventh  Street 
rail  lies  in  its  extreme  simplicity,  the  twisted  sec- 
tion of  the  spindles  near  the  bottom  being  a  clever 
expedient.     The    pleasing    effect    of    the    design    at 
Seventh  and  Locust  streets  is  largely  due  to  appro- 
priate use  of  the  evolute  spiral  band.     Only  a  little 
more  ornate  than   the   South   Seventh   Street  stair 
rail  is  that  in  South  Fourth  Street.     A  special  spiral 
design   above   the   foot   scraper,   however,   virtually 
becomes  a  newel  in  this  instance.     The  same  is  true 
of  another  much  more  elaborate  stair  rail  at  Seventh 
and  Locust  streets  with  its  attractive  diaper  pattern 
between    an    upper    and    lower   Grecian    band,    the 
whole  grille  being  supported  by  a   graceful   three- 
point  bracket. 


[  133 


CHAPTER  VIII 

WINDOWS  AND  SHUTTERS 

PHILADELPHIA  windows  and  window  frames 
during  the  Colonial  period  were  not  so  much 
a  development  as  a  perpetuation  of  the  initial 
types,  although  of  course  some  minor  changes  and 
improvements  were  made  with  passing  years. 
From  the  very  beginning  sliding  Georgian  sashes 
were  the  rule.  Penn's  house  has  them  and  so  have 
all  the  other  historic  homes  and  buildings  of  this 
vicinity  now  remaining.  There  are  none  of  the  dia- 
mond paned  casement  sashes,  such  as  were  employed 
in  the  first  New  England  homes  half  a  century 
earlier,  for  builders  in  both  the  mother  country 
and  the  colonies  had  ceased  to  work  in  the  Eliz- 
abethan and  Jacobean  manner  and  were  completely 
under  the  influence  of  the  Renaissance.  In  the 
earlier  houses  the  upper  sash  was  let  into  the  frame 
permanently,  only  theloweFsash  being  movable  and 
sliding  upward,  but  in  later  years  double-hung 
sashes  with  weights  began  to  be  adopted.  Stiles, 
rails  and  sash  bars  were  all  put  together  with 
mortise  and  tenon  joints  and  even  the  sash  bars 
were   pegged   together  with  wood.     The  glass  was 

[  1.34  1 


Plate  LX.  —  Detail    of   Stair  Ends,   Carpenter  House,  Third    and 

Spruce  Streets ;  Detail  of  Stair  Ends,  Independence  Hall 

(horizontal  section). 


Plate  LXI.  —  Chimney  Piece   in  the  Hall,  Stenton ;  Chimney 
Piece  and  Paneled  Wall,  Great  Chamber,  Mount  Pleasant. 


Windows   and  Shutters 

set  in  rabbeted  edges  and  held  in  place  by  putty 
according  to  the  method  still  in  use. 

At  first  the  panes  were  very  small,  and  many  were 
required  in  large  windows,  but  as  glass  making 
advanced,  the  prevailing  size  was  successively  en- 
larged from  about  five  by  seven  inches  to  six  by 
eight,  seven  by  nine,  eight  by  ten,  and  nine  by 
twelve.  As  the  size  of  individual  panes  of  glass  was 
increased,  their  number  in  each  sash  was  in  some 
instances  correspondingly  decreased,  although  of- 
tener  larger  sashes  with  the  same  number  of  panes 
resulted.  Philadelphia  architects  always  mani- 
fested a  keen  appreciation  of  the  value  of  scale  im- 
parted by  the  sash  bar  divisions  of  their  windows, 
and  for  that  reason  small-paned  sashes  never  ceased 
to  be  popular. 

Although  numerous  variations  exist,  the  custom 
of  having  an  equal  number  of  panes  in  both  upper 
and  lower  sashes  predominated.  Six,  nine  and 
twelve-paned  sashes  forming  twelve,  eighteen  and 
twenty-four  paned  windows  were  all  common 
throughout  the  Colonial  period.  Twelve-paned 
sashes  were  used  chiefly  in  public  buildings  and  the 
larger  private  mansions,  six-paned  sashes  in  houses 
of  moderate  size.  While  there  are  several  notable 
instances  of  nine-paned  upper  and  lower  sashes, 
particularly  Hope  Lodge,  Cedar  Grove  in  Harro- 
gate, Northern  Liberties,  and  the  Wharton  house 
at    Number    336    Spruce    Street,    this    arrangement 

[135] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

frequently,  although  not  always,  resulted  in  a  window 
rather  too  high  and  narrow  to  be  pleasing  in  pro- 
portion. A  comparison  of  the  accompanying  photo- 
graphs of  the  window  of  a  Combes  Alley  house  with 
that  of  a  house  at  Number  128  Race  Street  well 
illustrates  the  point.  Sometimes,  where  used  on 
the  lower  story,  six-paned  upper  and  lower  sashes  are 
found  in  the  windows  of  the  second  story. 

Waynesborough,  in  Easttown  Township,  Chester 
County,  not  far  from  Philadelphia,  is  a  well-known 
case  in  point.  Grumblethorpe  presents  the  anoma- 
lous reverse  arrangement  of  six-paned  sashes  on  the 
first  story  and  nine-paned  sashes  on  the  second 
story.  Still  oftener  six-  and  nine-paned  sashes  were 
combined  in  the  same  window,  the  larger  sash  being 
sometimes  the  upper  and  again  the  lower.  Bartram 
House  and  the  Johnson  house  are  instances  of  nine- 
paned  upper  and  lower  sashes  on  the  first  story 
and  nine-paned  lower  and  six-paned  upper  sashes 
on  the  second  story.  Greame  Park  in  Horsham, 
Montgomery  County,  not  far  from  Philadelphia, 
has  nine-paned  upper  and  lower  sashes  on  the 
lower  story  and  twelve-paned  lower  and  nine-paned 
upper  on  the  second  floor.  Penn's  house  in  Fair- 
mount  Park  and  Glen  Fern  are  instances  of  nine- 
paned  lower  and  six-paned  upper  sashes  on  the  first 
story  and  six-paned  upper  and  lower  sashes  on  the 
second  story.  Solitude  and  the  Blackwell  house, 
Number   224    Pine    Street,    exemplify    the    reverse 

[136] 


Windows   and  Shutters 

arrangement  of  nine-paned  upper  and  six-paned 
lower  sashes  on  both  stories. 

Six-paned  upper  and  lower  sashes  on  both  the 
first  and  second  floors  were,  perhaps,  more  common 
on  houses  of  moderate  size  and  some  large  mansions 
throughout  the  Colonial  period  than  any  other 
window  arrangement.  Notable  instances  are  The 
Highlands  ;  Upsala  ;  Vernon  ;  Wynnestay  in  Wynne- 
field,  West  Philadelphia ;  Carlton  in  Germantown ; 
the  Powell  house,  Number  244  South  Third  Street ; 
the  Evans  house,  Number  322  De  Lancy  Street; 
and  the  Wistar  house,  Fourth  and  Locust  streets. 

Among  the  more  pretentious  countryseats  and 
city  residences  having  twelve-paned  upper  and 
lower  sashes  on  both  the  first  and  second  stories 
may  be  mentioned  Cliveden,  Stenton,  Loudoun, 
Woodford,  Whitby  Hall,  the  Morris  house,  the 
Perot-Morris  house,  Chalkley  Hall  and  Port  Royal 
House  in  Frankford. 

Twelve-paned  sashes  were  also  used  in  various 
ways  in  combination  with  six,  eight  and  nine  paned 
sashes.  For  example,  the  Wain  house,  Number  254 
South  Second  Street,  has  twelve-paned  upper  and 
lower  sashes  on  the  first  story  with  six-paned  upper 
and  lower  sashes  on  the  second  story,  whereas 
Mount  Pleasant  has  the  reverse  arrangement. 
Laurel  Hill,  in  the  Northern  Liberties,  Fairmount 
Park,  has  twelve-paned  upper  and  lower  sashes  on 
the   first   story   and    eight-paned   upper   and    lower 

[  137] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

sashes  on  the  second  story,  whereas  the  Billmeyer 
house  has  all  twelve-paned  sashes  except  the 
lower  ones  on  the  second  story,  which  are  eight- 
paned.  Wyck,  consisting  as  it  does  of  two  buildings 
joined  together,  probably  has  the  most  heterogeneous 
fenestration  of  any  house  in  Philadelphia.  On  the 
first  floor  are  windows  having  nine-paned  lower  and 
six-paned  upper  sashes,  while  on  the  second  story 
are  windows  having  twelve-paned  lower  and  eight- 
paned  upper  sashes  and  others  having  six-paned 
upper  and  lower  sashes.  The  Free  Quakers'  Meeting 
House  at  Fifth  and  Arch  streets  has  twelve-paned 
upper  and  lower  sashes  on  the  first  story  and  eight- 
paned  upper  and  twelve-paned  lower  sashes  on  the 
second  floor. 


To  reduce  their  apparent  height,  three-story 
houses  were  foreshortened  with  square  windows. 
Two-piece  sashes  were  used,  and  the  number  of  panes 
differed  considerably.  While  a  like  number  in  both 
upper  and  lower  sashes  was  the  rule,  the  Blackwell 
house,  Number  224  Pine  Street,  and  the  Powel 
house,  Number  244  South  Third  Street,  are  notable 
instances  of  foreshortened  windows  having  three- 
paned  upper  and  six-paned  lower  sashes./  The 
Wharton  house,  Number  336  Spruce  Street,  and 
the  Evans  house,  Number  322  De  Lancy  Street, 
have  foreshortened  windows  with  six-paned  upper 
and  lower  sashes.  The  Wain  house,  Number  254 
South   Second  Street,   the  Stocker  house,  Number 

[138] 


Windows  and  Shutters 

404  South  Front  Street,  and  Pen  Rhyn  in  Behsalem 
Township,  Bucks  County,  have  foreshortened  win- 
dows with  three-paned  upper  and  lower  sashes. 
Such  foreshortened  windows  as  all  the  above  were 
usually  employed  with  six-  and  nine-paned  sashes 
on  the  stories  below.  Where  eight-  and  twelve- 
paned  sashes  were  used  for  the  principal  windows  of 
the  house,  the  foreshortened  windows  of  the  third 
story  usually  had  eight-paned  upper  and  lower  sashes, 
as  on  the  Morris  house,  the  Wistar  house  at  Fourth 
and  Locust  streets,  Whitby  Hall  and  Chalkley  Hall 
in  Frankford. 

Most  Philadelphia  houses,  whether  gable  or  hip- 
roofed,  have  dormers  to  light  the  attic.  Two  of 
three  on  a  side  were  the  rule,  although  a  few  small 
houses  have  only  one.  For  the  most  part  they 
were  pedimental  or  gable-roofed.  Segmental  topped 
dormers  were  rare,  although  a  row  of  them  is  to  be 
seen  in  Camac  Street,  "the  street  of  little  clubs", 
and  occasional  individual  instances  are  to  be  found 
elsewhere.  Lean-to  or  shed-roof  dormers  never 
found  favor,  the  only  notable  instances  about  Phila- 
delphia being  at  Glen  Fern,  Cedar  Grove  in  Harro- 
gate, Northern  Liberties,  and  Greame  Park  in 
Horsham,  Montgomery  County. 

An  accompanying  illustration  of  a  dormer  on  the 
Witherill  house,  Number  130  North  Front  Street, 
shows  the  simplest  type  of  gable-roof  dormer  with 
square-headed    window    and    six-paned    upper    and 

[  139] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

lower  sashes.  Similar  dormers,  differing  chiefly  in 
the  detail  of  the  moldings  employed,  are  features  of 
the  Morris  house ;  Wistar  house,  Fourth  and  Locust 
streets  ;  Wynnestay,  Wynnefield,  West  Philadelphia  ; 
Wyck ;  the  Johnson  house ;  Carlton,  Germantown ; 
and  Chalkley  Hall,  Frankford.  Grumblethorpe  and 
Bartram  House  have  dormers  of  this  sort  with  a 
segmental  topped  upper  window  sash.  Solitude  has 
this  sort  of  dormer  with  three-paned  upper  and  six- 
paned  lower  sashes,  while  Stenton  and  the  Evans 
house,  Number  322  De  Lancy  Street,  have  eight- 
paned  upper  and  lower  sashes. 

Houses  usually  of  somewhat  later  date  and 
notable  for  greater  refinement  of  detail  had  gable- 
roof  dormers  with  round-headed  Palladian  windows 
extending  up  into  the  pediment.  As  in  the  accom- 
panying illustration  showing  a  dormer  on  the  house 
at  Number  6105  Germantown  Avenue,  Germantown, 
the  casings  usually  take  the  form  of  fluted  pilasters, 
supporting  the  pediment  with  its  nicely  molded 
cornice,  often,  as  in  this  instance,  with  a  prominent 
denticulated  molding.  Narrower  supplementary 
pilasters  supported  a  molded  and  keyed  arch,  form- 
ing the  frame  within  which  the  window  is  set.  The 
lower  sash  is  six-paned,  while  the  upper  one  has  six 
rectangular  panes  above  which  six  ornamental 
shaped  panes  form  a  semicircle. 

Similar  dormers,  differing  chiefly  in  ornamental 
detail,    are   features   of   Loudoun,   Vernon,    Upsala, 

[  140] 


Windows  and  Shutters 

Hope  Lodge,  Port  Royal  House,  the  Perot-Morris 
house,  the  Billmeyer  house,  the  Wharton  house, 
Number  336  Spruce  Street;  the  Powel  house,  Num- 
ber 244  South  Third  Street ;  and  the  Stocker  house, 
Number  404  South  Front  Street.  The  dormers  of 
Cliveden  and  Mount  Pleasant  are  of  this  type  but 
further  elaborated  by  projecting  ornamental  scrolls 
at  the  sides. 

As  the  architecture  of  Philadelphia  is  almost 
exclusively  in  brick  and  stone,  there  were  none  of 
the  architrave  casings  and  ornamental  heads  consist- 
ing of  a  cornice  above  the  architrave  and  often  of 
a  complete  entablature  which  characterized  much 
contemporary  New  England  work  in  wood.  Brick 
and  stone  construction  require  solid  rather  than 
cased  wood  frames  let  into  the  reveals  of  the  brick 
wall  and  have  no  projections  other  than  a  molded 
sill,  as  on  the  Morris  house,  while  a  stone  lintel  or 
brick  arch  must  replace  the  ornamental  head,  often 
such  a  pleasing  feature  of  wood  construction.  The 
frames  were  of  heavy  construction  held  together  at 
the  corners  by  large  dowel  pins  and  were  ornamented 
by  suitable  moldings  broken  around  the  reveals  of 
the  masonry  and  by  molded  sash  guides  in  the 
frame.  In  the  earlier  brick  houses  the  square- 
headed  window  openings  had  either  gauged  arches, 
as  at  Hope  Lodge,  or  relieving  arches  of  alternate 
headers  and  stretchers  with  a  brick  core,  as  at 
Stenton.     Later,  as  in  the  case  of  hewn  stonework, 

[hi] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

prominent  stone  lintels  and  window  sills  were 
adopted.  Marble  was  much  favored  for  this  pur- 
pose because  it  harmonizes  with  the  white-painted 
woodwork,  brightens  the  facade  and  emphasizes 
the  fenestration.  Most  of  the  lintels  take  the 
shape  of  a  flat,  gauged  arch  with  flutings  simulating 
mortar  joints  that  radiate  from  an  imaginary  center 
below  and  mark  off  voussoirs  and  a  keystone.  Usu- 
ally there  is  no  surface  ornamentation,  the  shape 
of  the  parts  being  depended  upon  to  form  a  decora- 
tive pattern,  the  shallow  vertical  and  horizontal 
scorings  on  the  lintels  of  the  Morris  house  being 
exceptional.  These,  the  lintels  of  Cliveden  and  of 
the  Free  Quakers'  Meeting  House,  exemplify  the  i 
three  most  common  types. 

Unquestionably  the  most  distinctive  feature  of 
the  window  treatment  of  this  neighborhood  was  the 
outside  shutters.  Colonial  times  were  troublous, 
and  glass  was  expensive.  In  the  city,  protection 
was  wanted  against  lawlessness  at  night,  and  in 
the  country  there  was  for  many  years  the  ever- 
present  possibility  of  an  Indian  attack,  despite  the 
generally  friendly  relations  of  the  Quakers  with 
the  tribes  of  the  vicinity.  There  were  also  some 
British  soldiers  not  above  making  improper  use  of 
unshuttered  windows  at  night.  Except  for  a  rela- 
tively few  country  houses  which  had  neither  outside 
shutters  nor  blinds  —  notably  Stenton,  Solitude, 
Mount  Pleasant,   Bartram  House  and  The  Wood- 

[  H2  ] 


Plate  LXIV.  —  Chimney  Piece  and  Paneled  Wall  on  the  Second 

Floor  of  an  old  Spruce  Street  House;  Detail  of  Mantel, 

312  Cypress  Street. 


Plate  LXV.  —  Parlor  Mantel,  Upsala  ;  Detail  of  Parlor  Mantel, 

Upsala. 


Windows  and  Shutters 

lands  —  the  use  of  shutters  on  the  first  story  was 
the  rule.  Above  that  the  custom  varied  greatly. 
Where  outside  shutters  were  totally  absent,  inside 
hinged,  folding  and  sometimes  boxed  shutters  were 
almost  invariably  present.  Only  a  few  important 
instances  of  old  Colonial  houses  having  blinds  on 
the  lower  story  now  remain.  Port  Royal  House, 
for  example,  two  and  a  half  stories  high,  has  blinds 
on  the  first  story  and  none  above.  The  Highlands 
has  blinds  on  both  the  first  and  second  stories,  while 
Chalkley  Hall  in  Frankford  has  blinds  on  all  three 
of  its  stories. 

Often  there  are  shutters  on  the  lower  story  and 
none  above.  Three-story  instances  of  this  are  the 
Wain  house,  Number  254  South  Second  Street;  the 
Blackwell  house,  Number  224  Pine  Street ;  and  the 
Wistar  house,  Fourth  and  Locust  streets.  Two  and 
a  half  story  instances  are  Cliveden,  Hope  Lodge, 
Vernon,  Woodford,  the  Johnson  house  and  Laurel 
Hill  in  the  Northern  Liberties,  Fairmount  Park. 

Less  common  are  three-story  houses  having  shut- 
ters on  the  first  and  second  stories  and  none  on  the 
third.  Whitby  Hall,  the  Morris  house  and  the  Whar- 
ton house,  Number  336  Spruce  Street,  are  examples. 
Rare  are  two  and  a  half  story  houses  having  shutters 
on  both  the  principal  stories.  Wyck,  Cedar  Grove 
in  Harrowgate,  Northern  Liberties,  and  Wynnestay 
in  Wynnefield,  West  Philadelphia,  are  good  ex- 
amples.    Most  two  and  a  half  story  houses  have 

[143] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

shutters  on  the  first  story  and  blinds  on  the  second, 
as  instanced  by  Upsala,  Grumblethorpe,  Loudoun, 
Glen  Fern  and  the  Perot-Morris  house.  The  Powel 
house,  Number  244  South  Third  Street,  is  a  rare 
instance  of  shutters  on  all  three  stories,  while  the 
Evans  house,  Number  322  De  Lancy  Street,  and 
Pen  Rhyn  in  Bensalem  Township,  Bucks  County, 
are  rare  instances  of  shutters  on  the  first  story  and 
blinds  on  the  second  and  third  stories. 

These  outside  shutters  are  of  heavy  construction 
like  doors,  the  stiles  and  rails  having  mortise  and 
tenon  joints  held  together  by  dowel  pins  and  the 
panels  being  molded  and  raised.  Usually  frieze 
and  lock  rails  divide  the  shutter  into  three  panels, 
the  two  lower  ones  being  the  same  height  and  the 
upper  one  square.  Accompanying  illustrations  show 
eighteen-paned  windows  having  shutters  arranged 
in  this  manner  at  Number  128  Race  Street  and  in 
Combes  Alley.  At  Cliveden  the  upper  panel  is  not 
quite  high  enough  to  be  square,  and  the  same  is  true 
of  the  Morris  house  shutters,  which  are  also  notable 
for  the  fact  that  the  lower  panel  is  not  quite  so  high 
as  the  middle  one.  Sometimes  an  opening  of  orna- 
mental shape  was  cut  through  the  top  panel  to  admit 
a  little  light,  as  for  instance  the  crescent  in  the 
shutters  at  Wynnestay,  Wynnefield,  West  Phila- 
delphia. On  a  relatively  few  houses  the  shutters 
had  four  panels,  the  most  common  arrangement 
being  a  small  and  a  large  panel  in  alternation  from 

[  144] 


Plate    LXVI.  —  Mantel    at  Upsala";  Mantel   at  Third   and   De 

Lancey  Streets. 


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Plate  LXVII.  — 


Mantel,  Rex  House,  Mount  Airy ;  Mantel  at  729 
Walnut  Street. 


Windows   and  Shutters 

the  top  downward.  Such  shutters  were  features 
of  Loudoun,  the  Wistar  house,  Fourth  and  Locust 
streets ;  the  Blackwell  house,  Number  224  Pine 
Street;  the  Powel  house,  Number  244  South  Third 
Street ;  the  Evans  house,  Number  322  Spruce  Street ; 
and  the  Wharton  house,  Number  336  Spruce  Street. 
An  accompanying  illustration  shows  an  unusual 
four-panel  arrangement  on  the  Witherill  house, 
Number  130  North  Front  Street,  the  three  upper 
almost  square  panels  being  of  the  same  size  and  the 
lowest  one  being  about  twice  as  high  as  one  of  the 
small  ones.  Top,  frieze  and  lock  rails  are  usually 
the  same  width  as  the  stiles,  and  the  bottom  rail 
is  about  double  width.  The  meeting  stiles  and 
sometimes  those  on  the  opposite  side  have  rabbeted 
joints,  the  latter  fitting  the  jambs  of  the  window 
frame. 

As  indicated  by  an  accompanying  illustration 
showing  the  typical  treatment  of  a  second-floor 
twelve-paned  window  at  Number  6105  German- 
town  Avenue,  Germantown,  most  blinds  were 
strengthened  by  a  lock  rail  about  midway  of  the 
height,  or  slightly  below,  dividing  the  blind  into  an 
upper  and  lower  section.  Blinds  of  this  sort  are  to 
be  seen  at  Loudoun,  Grumblethorpe,  Upsala,  The 
Highlands  and  Port  Royal  House.  At  Waynes- 
borough  in  Easttown  Township,  Chester  County, 
this  division  is  considerably  below  the  middle, 
making  the  upper  section   much   the   larger.     Less 

ins] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

common  are  blinds  divided  into  three  sections  by- 
two  lock  rails,  such  as  those  of  the  Perot-Morris 
house.  The  Evans  house,  Number  322  De  Lancy 
Street,  has  two-section  blinds  on  the  third  story 
and  three-section  blinds  on  the  second  story.  Unu- 
sual indeed  are  blinds  having  only  top  and  bottom 
rails.  They  are  found  now  and  then  on  small 
upper  windows,  as  at  Glen  Fern.  Chalkley  Hall  in 
Frankford  is  a  rare  instance  of  such  blinds  on  all 
three  stories  of  a  large  countryseat. 

All  of  these  blinds  are  of  heavy  construction, 
having  top  and  lock  rails  about  the  same  width  as 
the  stiles,  and  bottom  rails  about  double  width. 
Except  for  heavy  louvers  instead  of  panels,  they 
are  much  like  shutters.  The  frame  is  of  the  same 
thickness,  with  mortise  and  tenon  joints  doweled 
together. 

A  picturesque  feature  of  Philadelphia  window 
treatment  is  the  quaint  wrought-iron  fixtures  with 
which  shutters  and  blinds  are  hung  and  fastened. 
As  clearly  shown  by  the  accompanying  detail 
photograph  of  a  window  of  the  Morris  house,  outside 
shutters  are  generally  hung  by  means  of  hinges  to 
the  frame  of  the  window.  As  these  frames  are  set 
back  in  the  reveal  of  the  masonry,  these  hinges  are 
necessarily  of  special  shape,  being  of  large  projection 
to  enable  the  shutters  to  fold  back  against  the  face 
of  the  wall.  They  were  strap  hinges  tapering 
slightly   in   width,   corresponding   in   length   to   the 

[146] 


W^indows  and  Shutters. 

width  of  the  shutter  and  fastened  to  it  by  means 
of  two  or  three  bolts.  Small  pendant  rings  on  the 
inside  of  the  meeting  stiles  were  provided  for  pulling 
the  shutters  together  and  closing  them.  They 
were  fastened  together  by  a  long  wrought-iron 
strap,  usually  bolted  to  the  left-hand  shutter,  that 
projects  to  overlap  the  opposite  shutter  five  or  six 
inches  when  the  shutters  are  closed.  Near  the 
projecting  end  of  the  strap  a  pin  at  right  angles  to  it 
sticks  through  a  hole  in  an  escutcheon  plate  in  the 
lock  rail  of  the  opposite  shutter,  and  an  iron  pin, 
suspended  by  a  short  length  of  chain  to  prevent  loss, 
is  inserted  through  a  vertical  drilling  in  the  pin. 
Later,  sliding  bolts  were  used,  as  seen  on  the  shutters 
at  Number  128  Race  Street  and  the  blinds  at  Num- 
ber 6105  Germantown  Avenue,  Germantown. 

Shutters  and  blinds  were  held  back  against  the 
face  of  the  wall  in  an  open  position  by  quaint 
wrought-iron  turn  buckles  or  gravitating  catches 
and  other  simple  fasteners.  That  on  the  shutters 
of  the  Perot-Morris  house  is  the  most  prevalent 
pattern.  The  scroll  at  the  bottom  is  longer  and 
heavier  than  the  round,  flattened,  upper  portion, 
so  that  the  fixture  is  kept  in  position  by  gravity. 
In  this  instance  it  is  placed  in  the  masonry  wall 
near  the  meeting  stile  of  the  shutter.  A  similar 
fastener  on  the  Chew  house  is  placed  in  the  window 
sill  near  the  outer  stile  of  the  shutter.  Another 
type  of  turning  fastener  that  was  quite  popular  is 

[147] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

seen  at  Number  6043  Germantown  Avenue,  German- 
town.  It  is  held  in  place  by  a  long  iron  strap 
screwed  to  the  window  sill,  and  the  weight  of  the 
gravitating  catch  consists  of  a  casting  representing 
a  bunch  of  grapes.  More  primitive  and  less  satis- 
factory in  use  and  appearance  is  the  spring  fastener 
bearing  against  the  edge  of  the  shutter  seen  at 
Wyck.  Crude  as  these  fixtures  were,  they  have 
hardly  been  improved  upon  in  principle,  and  similar 
designs  of  more  finished  workmanship  are  still  used 
in  modern  work. 

Twelve  appears  to  be  the  largest  number  of  panes 
employed  in  a  sliding  sash  in  Philadelphia  archi- 
tecture, even  in  public  buildings,  except  a  few 
churches.  There  are  such  sashes  in  Independence 
Hall,  Congress  Hall,  Carpenters'  Hall,  the  Free 
Quakers'  Meeting  House  at  Fifth  and  Arch  streets 
and  the  main  building  of  the  Pennsylvania  Hospital. 
In  Congress  Hall  and  Carpenters'  Hall  there  are 
also  round-topped  windows  with  twelve-paned  lower 
sashes  and  upper  sashes  having  ten  small  orna- 
mental panes  to  make  up  the  semicircle  above 
twelve  rectangular  panes.  A  few  similar  windows 
with  seven  ornamental  panes  in  the  round  top  are 
to  be  seen  in  Christ  Church. 

The  Old  Swedes'  Church  has  a  few  rectangular 
windows  with  fifteen-  and  sixteen-paned  upper  and 
lower  sashes,  while  over  the  front  entrance  there 
is   a  window  having   a   twelve-paned  upper  and   a 

[148] 


Plate  LXVIII.  —  Parlor,  Stenton  ;  Reception  Room,  Stenton. 


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2  W     iyffTM^^^vS**Tf*-  -^^    ■^^^^^^"t1 

Plate  LXIX.  —  Dining  Room,  Stenton  ;  Library,  Stenton. 


Windows   and  Shutters 

sixteen-paned  lower  sash.  In  Christ  Church  are 
to  be  seen  two  windows  having  ten-paned  upper  and 
fifteen-paned  lower  sashes  set  in  a  recessed  round 
brick  arch.  For  the  most  part,  however,  the  church 
windows  of  this  period  were  round-topped,  the 
upper  sash  being  higher  than  the  lower.  Most  of 
the  windows  of  St.  Peter's  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  have  fifteen-paned  lower  sashes,  the  upper 
sashes  consisting  of  twenty  rectangular  panes  above 
which  twelve  keystone-shaped  panes  and  one  semi- 
circular pane  form  the  round  top. 

The  windows  of  Christ  Church  are  larger  still 
and  particularly  interesting  because  of  the  heavy 
central  muntin  to  strengthen  the  sash.  On  the 
first  story  the  lower  sashes  have  twenty-four  panes 
and  the  upper  ones  eighteen  rectangular  panes  with 
sixteen  keystone-shaped  and  two  quarter-round 
panes  to  form  the  semicircular  top.  On  the  second 
floor  the  windows  are  the  same  except  for  the 
eighteen-paned  lower  sashes.  Each  side  of  the 
steeple  on  the  lower  story  is  a  window  of  this  size, 
notable  for  the  ornamental  spacing  of  twenty-one 
6ash  bar  divisions,  the  sweeping  curves  of  which 
form  spaces  for  glass  reminiscent  of  the  Gothic 
arch. 

These  windows  slide  in  molded  frames  set  in  the 
reveals  of  the  brickwork  under  plain  arches  with 
marble  or  other  stone  imposts,  keystone  and  sill. 
The  imposts  and  keystone  were  often  molded  and 

[  149] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

otherwise  hand-tooled,  as  on  Christ's  Church,  and 
the  sills  were  sometimes  supported  by  a  console 
at  each  end,  as  on  St.  Peter's  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church.  Some  of  the  windows  of  both  of  these 
churches  illustrate  the  frequent  employment  of 
slightly  projecting  brick  arches  and  pilaster  casings 
at  the  sides. 

The  great  Palladian  chancel  windows  of  Renais- 
sance churches  were  often  much  larger.  Usually 
they  were  stationary,  especially  the  central  section, 
although  sometimes,  as  in  Christ's  Church,  the 
two  side  windows  had  sliding  sashes.  The  central 
section  of  this  window  has  ninety-six  rectangular 
panes  with  twenty-four  keystone-shaped  and  two 
quarter-round  panes  forming  the  round  top.  The 
narrow  side  windows  have  fifteen-paned  upper  and 
twelve-paned  lower  sashes.  The  treatment  of  this 
chancel  end  with  heavy  brick  piers  and  pilasters, 
stone  entablature,  projecting  brick  spandrels  and 
the  bust  of  George  II,  King  of  England,  between 
them,  above  the  arch  of  the  Palladian  window,  is 
most  interesting. 

The  chancel  window  of  St.  Peter's  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  has  one  hundred  and  eight  rec- 
tangular panes  in  its  central  section  with  twenty- 
eight  keystone-shaped  panes  and  a  semicircular 
pane  forming  the  round  top.  Each  side  of  this 
end  of  the  church,  with  four  smaller  round-headed 
windows  ranged  about  the  chancel  window  and  a 

[150] 


•    ff^indows  and  Shutters 

circular  window  in  the  pediment  above,  is  a  superb 
example  of  symmetrical  arrangement. 

Although  large  and  more  ornate,  the  Palladian 
window  above  the  entrance  to  Independence  Hall 
on  the  Independence  Square  side  is  more  like  that 
found  in  domestic  architecture.  All  three  of  its 
lower  sashes  are  sliding.  The  central  window  con- 
sists of  a  twenty-four-paned  lower  sash  and  an 
upper  sash  with  twenty-one  ornamental-shaped 
panes  forming  the  round  top  above  twenty-four 
rectangular  panes.  The  narrow  side  windows  have 
six-paned  upper  and  twelve-paned  lower  sashes. 
Owing  to  its  good  proportion,  the  chaste  simplicity 
of  the  detail  and  the  pleasing  combination  of  brick 
pilasters  with  wood  trim,  this  has  been  referred  to 
by  architects  as  the  best  Palladian  window  in 
America.  The  use  of  such  a  window  in  the  Ionic 
order  above  a  Doric  doorway  adds  another  to  the 
many  notable  instances  of  free  use  of  the  orders  by 
Colonial  builders. 

In  domestic  architecture  Palladian  windows  were 
employed  chiefly  to  light  the  stairway  landing,  as 
at  Whitby  Hall ;  to  light  the  upper  hall,  as  at  Mount 
Pleasant ;  and  rarely  to  light  the  principal  rooms 
each  side  of  the  front  entrance,  as  at  The  Wood- 
lands. They  not  only  charm  the  eye  as  interior 
features,  but  when  viewed  outdoors  relieve  the 
severity  of  many  ranging  square-headed  windows 
and  provide  a  center  of  interest  in  the  fenestration, 

[  151 1 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

lending  grace  and  distinction  to  the  entire  facade. 
No  Palladian  windows  in  Philadelphia  so  thoroughly 
please  the  eye  or  so  convincingly  indicate  the  de- 
lightful accord  that  may  exist  between  gray  ledge- 
stone  masonry  and  white  woodwork  as  those  set 
within  recessed  arches  at  The  Woodlands.  The 
proportion  and  simple,  clean-cut  detail  throughout 
are  exquisite.  The  engaged  colonnettes  of  the 
mullions  contrast  pleasingly  with  the  pilasters  of 
the  frame,  each  of  the  two  supporting  an  entabla- 
ture notable  for  its  fine-scale  dentil  course,  and 
these  two  in  turn  supporting  a  keyed,  molded  arch. 
The  central  window  has  twelve-paned  upper  and 
lower  sliding  sashes  with  an  attractively  spaced 
fanlight  above.  The  narrow  ten-paned  side  windows 
are  stationary.  Unusual  as  is  the  use  of  these 
Palladian  windows,  their  charm  is  undeniable,  and 
they  are  among  the  chief  distinctions  of  the  house. 


[152] 


CHAPTER  IX 
HALLS  AND   STAIRCASES 

THE  hall  is  of  particular  moment  in  the  design 
of  a  house.  There  guests  are  welcomed  to 
the  fireside,  and  there  their  first  impressions  of 
the  home  are  formed.  The  architectural  treat- 
ment of  the  hall  sets  the  keynote  of  the  entire  home 
interior,  so  to  speak.  Its  doorways  and  open  arches 
frame  vistas  of  the  principal  adjoining  rooms,  and 
its  staircase,  usually  winding,  affords  a  more  or  less 
complete  survey  of  the  whole  house  from  various 
altitudes  and  angles.  It  is  the  place  where  the 
master  puts  his  best  foot  foremost,  as  the  expression 
goes,  and  happily  the  recognized  utilitarian  features 
of  the  typical  Colonial  hall  permit  a  notable  degree 
of  elaboration  at  once  consistent  and  beautiful. 

Throughout  the  feudal  period  of  the  Middle  Ages 
the  hall  was  the  main  and  often  the  only  living, 
reception  and  banquet  room  of  castles,  palaces  and 
manor  houses.  It  was  the  common  center  of  home 
activities.  There  the  lord  and  family  retainers 
servants  and  visitors  were  accommodated,  and  all 
the  common  life  of  the  household  was  carried  on. 

[153] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

In  early  times  there  were,  besides  the  hall,  only  a 
few  sleeping  rooms,  even  in  the  greatest  establish- 
ments. Later,  more  retired  rooms  were  added,  and 
gradually  the  hall  became  more  and  more  an  en- 
tranceway  or  passageway  in  the  house,  communi- 
cating with  its  different  parts. 

When  houses  began  to  be  built  more  than  a  single 
story  in  height,  the  staircase  became  an  important 
feature  of  the  hall,  and  balconies  were  also  intro- 
duced overlooking  this  great  room,  which  was  often 
the  full  height  of  the  building.  In  fact,  balconies 
were  for  a  time  more  conspicuous  than  staircases, 
which  were  frequently  located  in  any  convenient 
secluded  place.  However,  as  builders  came  to 
appreciate  more  fully  the  attractiveness  of  this 
utilitarian  structure,  when  embellished  with  suitable 
ornament,  the  staircase  was  accorded  a  more  promi- 
nent position.  Eventually  it  became  the  most 
important  architectural  feature  of  the  hall,  for  the 
most  part  supplanting  the  balcony,  which  was  in  a 
measure  replaced  by  the  broad  landings  of  broken, 
winding  and  wing  flights. 

Throughout  the  Georgian  period  of  English  archi- 
tecture, the  hall  of  the  better  houses  retained  some- 
thing of  the  size  and  aspect  of  the  great  halls  of- 
feudal  days,  while  at  the  same  time  accommodating 
the  staircase  and  serving  as  a  passageway  leading 
to  the  principal  rooms  on  the  various  floors.  In  the 
more  pretentious  houses  of  the  period  they  were 

[154] 


Halls   and  Staircases     \j  y&  * 

the  scene  of  dancing  and  banqueting  on  special 
occasions,  and  for  that  reason  were  of  spacious 
size,  often  running  entirely  through  the  building 
from  front  Jo  back  with  the  staircase  located  in  a 
smaller  side  hall  adjoining.  Where  space  or  ex- 
pense were  considerations,  or  where  spacious  parlors 
and  drawing-rooms  rendered  the  use  of  the  hall  for 
social  purposes  unnecessary,  the  staircase  ascended 
in  various  ways  at  the  rear  of  the  main  hall,  usually 
beyond  a  flat  or  elliptical  arch,  where  it  added  very 
materially  to  the  effectiveness  of  the  apartment 
without  detracting  at  all  from  the  use  of  the  front 
portion  as  a  reception  room. 

Such  halls  as  the  latter  are  as  typical  of  the 
better  Provincial  mansions  of  Philadelphia,  espe- 
cially its  countryseats,  as  of  the  plantation  houses 
of  Virginia  and  the  early  settled  communities 
farther  south.  In  the  city  residences  of  Philadel- 
phia, built  in  blocks  as  elsewhere,  the  halls  were  of 
necessity  narrower,  mere  passageways  notable  chiefly 
for  their  well-designed  staircases,  which  consisted 
for  the  most  part  of  a  long  straight  run  along  one 
side  with  a  single  turn  near  the  top  to  the  second- 
floor  passageway  directly  above  that  to  the  rear 
of  the  house  on  the  floor  below.  In  a  few  of  the 
earlier  country  houses  there  are,  however,  halls 
reminiscent  of  medieval  times,  for  the  influences  of 
the  mother  country  were  very  strong  in  Philadel- 
phia, and  its  Colonial  architecture  displays  marked 

[iSSl 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

Georgian  tendencies,  some  of  it  the  very  earliest 
Georgian  characteristics  still  somewhat  influenced 
by  the  life  and  manners  of  the  Elizabethan  and 
Jacobean  periods. 

At  Stenton,  the  countryseat  of  James  Logan,  to 
which  detailed  reference  has  been  made  in  a  pre- 
vious chapter,  there  is  a  hall  and  staircase  arrange- 
ment such  as  can  be  found  only  in  some  of  the 
earliest  eighteenth-century  country  houses.  This 
great .  brick-paved  room  wainscoted  to  the  ceiling, 
with  a  fireplace  across  the  right-hand  corner,  re- 
flects the  hall  of  the  English  manor  house,  which 
was  a  gathering  place  for  the  family  and  for  the 
reception  of  guests,  as  instanced  by  the  reception 
tendered  to  LaFayette  in  the  great  hall  at  Wyck 
on  July  20,  1825. 

Admirable  bolection  molded  wood  paneling  of 
the  dado  and  wall  space  above,  a  heavy  molded  cor- 
nice and  high,  fluted  and  slightly  tapering  pilasters 
standing  on  pedestals  flanking  the  entrances  on  all 
four  sides  indicate  more  eloquently  than  words  the 
charm  of  white-painted  interior  woodwork.  As  in 
many  houses  of  equally  early  date,  the  absence  of  a 
mantel  over  the  fireplace  is  characteristic,  yet  it 
seems  a  distinct  omission  in  beauty  and  usefulness. 
Through  the  high  arched  opening  in  the  rear,  with 
its  narrow  double  doors,  is  seen  the  winding  stair- 
case in  a  smaller  stair  hall  beyond.  In  this  hallway 
stands  an  iron  chest  to  hold  the  family  silver,  the 

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Halls  and  Staircases 

cumbrous  old  lock  having  fourteen  tumblers.  Above 
there  are  wooden  pegs  in  the  wall  on  which  to  hang 
hats.  The  broad  staircase  with  its  plain  rectangular 
box  stair  ends  is  one  of  unusually  simple  stateli- 
ness,  yet  typical  of  the  sturdy  lines  of  Philadelphia 
construction,  the  window  with  its  built-in  seat  on 
the  landing  being  an  ever  pleasing  arrangement. 
Severely  plain  square  newels  support  an  excep- 
tionally broad  and  heavy  handrail  capped  with 
dark  wood,  while  attractive  .turned  balusters  of 
distinctive  pattern  complete  a  balustrade  of  more 
than  ordinarily  substantial  character.  A  nicely 
paneled  dado  with  dark-capped  surbase  along  the 
opposite  wall  greatly  ^enriches  the  effect. 

About  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  wide 
halls  leading  entirely  through  the  center  of  the 
house  from  front  to  back  were  common  in  large 
American  houses.  Where  country  houses  had  en- 
trance and  garden  fronts  of  almost  equal  importance, 
with  a  large  doorway  at  each  end  of  the  hall,  the 
staircase  was  usually  located  in  a  small  stair  hall 
to  one  side  of  the  main  hall  and  at  the  front  or  back, 
as  happened  to  be  most  convenient  with  respect  to 
the  desired  floor  plan.  Where  a  small  door  at  the 
rear  opened  into  a  secluded  garden,  the  staircase 
was  located  at  the  rear  of  the  main  hall  with  the  door 
under  the  staircase.  In  either  case  the  staircase 
took  the  form  of  a  broken  flight,  with  a  straight 
run  along  one  wall  rising  about  two-thirds   of  the 

[157] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

total  height  to  a  broad  landing  across  the  hall  where 
the  direction  of  the  flight  reversed.  The  landing 
was  usually  lighted  by  a  large  round-topped  Palla- 
dian  window  which  provided  one  of  the  most  charm- ' 
ing  features  of  the  interior  as  well  as  the  exterior  of 
the  house.  Inside  it  was  often  graced  by  the  "clock 
on  the  stairs",  a  handsome  mahogany  chair  or  a 
tip-table  with  candlesticks  for  lighting  guests  to 
their  rooms. 

Whitby  Hall  at  Fifty-eighth  Street  and  Florence 
Avenue,  Kingsessing,  West  Philadelphia,  offers  a 
notable  instance  of  this  latter  type  of  hall  and  stair- 
case. The  wide  hall  extends  entirely  through  the 
western  wing,  the  main  entrance  being  on  the  flag- 
paved  piazza  of  the  south  front.  On  the  north 
front  there  is  a  tower-like  projection  in  which  the 
staircase  ascends  with  a  broad  landing  across  the 
rear  wall  and  a  low  outside  door  beneath.  This 
unusual  arrangement  permits  side  windows  on  the 
landing  in  addition  to  the  great  Palladian  window 
in  the  middle,  so  that  both  the  upper  and  lower 
halls  are  flooded  with  light. 

A  great  beam  architecturally  embellished  with  a 
complete  entablature  with  pulvinated  frieze,  the  soffit 
of  the  architrave  consisting  of  small  square  molded 
panels,  spans  the  hall  over  the  foot  of  the  stairs 
along  the  line  of  the  rear  wall  of  the  western  wing. 
It  is  supported  on  opposite  sides  by  well-propor- 
tioned   fluted    pilasters    with    nicely    tooled    Ionic 

[158] 


Halls   and  Staircases 

capitals  and  heavy  molded  bases.  Thus  the  stair- 
case vista  from  the  front  end  of  the  hall  is  framed 
by  an  architectural  setting  of  rare  beauty.  The 
heavy  cornice  of  the  beam,  with  its .  molded  and 
jig-sawed  modillions,  continues  all  around  the  hall 
ceiling,  the  turned  and  molded  drops  of  the  newels 
on  the  floor  above  tying  into  it  very  pleasingly 
over  the  stairs.  A  molded  surbase  and  skirting,  with 
a  broad  expanse  of  plastered  wall  between,  provides 
an  effective  dado  all  around  the  hall.  Where  it 
follows  up  the  stairs,  it  corresponds  to  the  hand- 
rail of  the  balustrade  opposite.  The  molding  is  the 
same ;  there  is  the  same  upward  sweep  of  the  ramped 
rail,  and  it  is  also  capped  with  dark  wood.  On  the 
landing  dainty  little  fluted  pilasters  support  the  sur- 
base, their  fine  scale  lending  much  grace  and  refine- 
ment. One  notices  there  also  the  beautiful  beveled 
paneling  of  the  window  embrasures,  the  paneled 
soffit  of  the  Palladian  window  and  its  built-in  seat. 
The  balustrade  is  of  sturdy  conventional  type  char- 
acteristic of  the  period.  Two  attractively  turned 
balusters  grace  each  stair,  their  bases  alike  and 
otherwise  differing  only  in  the  length  of  their  taper- 
ing shafts.  The  newel  treatment  is  especially  appro- 
priate, inasmuch  as  it  reflects  the  Ionic  order,  the 
balustrade  winding  scroll-fashion  about  a  slender 
fluted  colonnette,  and  the  first  stair  tread  taking 
the  outline  of  the  rail  above.  Graceful  scroll 
brackets  adorn  the  stair  ends  beneath  the  molded 

[iS9l 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

projections  of  the  treads.  Altogether  this  is  one  of 
the  most  notable  halls  of  this  type  in  Philadelphia. 

The  oldest  part  of  Whitby  Hall  as  it  now  stands 
was  erected  in  1754  by  James  Coultas,  wealthy 
merchant,  shipowner,  soldier  and  enthusiastic  pro- 
moter of  many  public  and  philanthropic  enter- 
prises. In  1 741  he  established  himself  in  a  house 
then  existing  on  the  plantation  that  corresponds  to 
the  present  east  wing,  which  was  reconstructed  with 
rare  fidelity  in  1842  to  match  the  western  wing 
erected  by  Colonel  Coultas.  The  walls  of  the  entire 
present  house  all  around  are  of  nicely  squared  and 
dressed  native  gray  stone,  and  to  afford  extra  pro- 
tection against  prevailing  winds  a  penthouse  with 
coved  cornice  runs  along  the  northern  and  western 
ends  at  the  second-floor  level.  The  gables  of  the 
west  wing  face  north  and  south  with  quaint  oval 
windows  to  light  the  attic.  A  flag-paved  piazza 
extends  across  the  south  front,  forming  part  of  the 
main  entrance,  while  in  a  tower  projection  on  the 
north  front  is  located  the  staircase  already  described. 
Both  the  hall  doorway  and  windows  in  this  tower 
have  brick  trim,  an  unusual  feature,  while  the  bull's- 
eye  light  in  the  tower  pediment,  also  set  in  brick 
trim,  was  a  porthole  glass  from  one  of  Colonel 
Coultas*  ships. 

As  a  merchant  and  in  numerous  other  private 
enterprises,  Colonel  Coultas  amassed  a  substantial 
fortune.     From  1744  to  1755  he  was  the  lessee  of  the 

[160] 


>»iwniaiiiiN*«ti«i«r*w>(ii«iiaiiiiiti«*tiHiai«r«it««t'nMm>«<i>MWM«r'MiMMti«f«lw(nw'w.Mr>for' 


Plate  LXXIV.  —  Ceiling  Detail,  Solitude;  Cornice   and   Frieze 

Detail,  Solitude. 


PQ 


72 
u 


c 

a, 

C 


ffi 


C 


> 

8 


Halls  and  Staircases 

Middle  Ferry,  where  Market  Street  bridge  now 
stands,  and  it  was  chiefly  due  to  his  initiative  that 
steps  were  first  taken  to  make  the  Schuylkill  River 
navigable.  He  was  one  of  the  commissioners  who 
surveyed  the  stream  and  the  first  to  demonstrate 
that  large  boats  could  be  taken  above  the  falls. 
In  1748  he  was  a  captain  of  the  Associates,  a  battery 
for  the  defense  of  Philadelphia  against  French 
insolence,  and  in  1756  during  the  Indian  uprisings 
he  became  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  county  regi- 
ment. He  was  repeatedly  justice  of  the  peace, 
high  sheriff  of  the  county  from  1755  to  1758,  and  in 
1765  was  appointed  judge  of  the  Orphans'  Court, 
Quarter  Sessions,  and  Common  Pleas.  He  carried 
on  a  farm  in  Blockley,  operated  a  sawmill  on  Cobb's 
Creek  north  of  the  Blue  Bell  Inn,  was  a  devout 
vestryman  and  enthusiastic  huntsman.  He  it  was 
who  laid  the  corner  stone  of  the  Church  of  St.  James 
in  1762,  and  as  a  member  of  the  Colony  in  Schuylkill 
and  the  Gloucester  Fox  Hunting  Club  he  was  also 
prominently  identified  with  the  more  convivial 
activities  of  the  community. 

On  Colonel  Coultas'  death  in  1768,  Whitby  Hall 
was  inherited  by  his  niece,  Martha  Ibbetson  Gray, 
and  later  passed  by  inheritance  to  her  great-great- 
grandchildren in  the  Thomas  family,  in  whose 
hands  it  still  remains. 

Eloquently  typical  of  the  broad  hall  running  en- 
tirely through  the  house  from  front  to  back,  with  the 

1 161  ] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

staircase  located  in  a  smaller  side  hall,  is  the  arrange- 
ment at  Mount  Pleasant  to  which  reference  has 
already  been  made  in  a  previous  chapter.  It  is  one 
which  affords  delightful  vistas  through  the  outside 
doorways  at  each  end  and  an  ample  open  space  for 
dancing  on  occasion.  Handsome  doorways  along 
the  sides  open  into  the  principal  rooms  and  are 
notable  for  their  beautifully  molded  architrave 
casings  and  nicely  worked  pedimental  doorheads. 
In  fact,  the  woodwork  here,  as  well  as  that  through- 
out the  house,  is  heavier  and  richer  in  elaboration 
of  detail  than  usual  in  Georgian  houses  of  the  North, 
the  classic  details  of  the  fluted  pilasters  and  heavy, 
intricately  carved  complete  entablature  being  pure 
mutulary  Doric  and  more  ornate  than  the  Ionic 
detail  of  Whitby  Hall.  However,  this  was  quite 
in  keeping  with  the  larger  and  more  pretentious 
character  of  the  former.  The  entablature  is  a  posi- 
tive triumph  in  cornice,  frieze  and  architrave.  The 
moldings  are  of  good  design  and  carefully  worked ; 
the  guttae  of  the  mutules,  the  triglyphs  with  paneled 
metopes  between,  and  the  guttae  of  the  architrave 
all  closely  follow  the  classic  order  and  exemplify 
the  finest  hand  tooling  of  the  period. 

So  similar  as  a  whole  yet  so  different  in  detail  are 
the  staircase  hall  of  Mount  Pleasant  and  the  stair- 
case end  of  the  main  hall  at  Whitby  Hall  that  they 
invite  comparison.  In  general  arrangement  they 
are  much  the  same,  except  that  the  staircases  are 

[162] 


Halls  and  Staircases 

reversed,  left  for  right.  As  at  Whitby  Hall  a  flat 
arch  frames  the  staircase  vista,  a  great  beam  bear- 
ing the  entablature  surrounds  the  hall  at  the  ceiling, 
spanning  the  entrance  to  the  staircase  hall  and  being 
supported  by  square,  fluted  columns.  In  this  smaller 
hall  a  simple,  though  only  a  molded  cornice  in  har- 
mony with  that  of  the  main  hall  suffices.  Unlike 
the  plain  dado  of  the  main  hall,  however,  elaborated 
only  by  a  molded  surbase  and  skirting,  a  handsome 
paneled  wainscot  runs  around  the  staircase  hall  and 
up  the  stairs.  The  spacing  and  workmanship  dis- 
played in  this  heavily  beveled  and  molded  paneling 
could  hardly  be  better.  At  the  foot  of  the  flight, 
on  the  landing  and  at  the  head  of  the  stairs,  the 
ramped  surbase  with  its  dark  wood  cap,  correspond- 
ing to  the  handrail  opposite,  is  supported  by  slender 
fluted  pilasters  which  materially  enrich  the  effect. 
The  space  under  the  lower  run  of  the  staircase  is 
entirely  paneled  up  with  a  small  diagonal  topped 
door  opening  into  the  little  closet  thus  afforded. 
The  scroll-pattern  stair  ends,  balustrade  and  spiral 
newel  treatment  are  much  the  same  as  at  Whitby 
Hall.  Although  similar  in  pattern  the  balusters 
are  more  slender  and  placed  three  instead  of  two 
on  each  stair. 

On  the  second  floor,  as  below,  the  hall  extends 
entirely  through  the  house,  and  following  a  fre- 
quent custom  of  the  time  was  finished  in  a  different 
order  of  architecture,   the  pulvinated   Ionic   being 

[163] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

chosen,  no  doubt,  for  its  lighter  grace  and  greater 
propriety  adjoining  bedchambers.  In  furtherance 
of  this  thought,  only  the  cornice  with  its  jig-sawed 
modillions  was  employed  at  the  ceiling  and  the  flat 
dado  was  paneled  off  by  the  application  of  mold- 
ings to  give  it  a  lighter  scale.  The  complete  en- 
tablature was  used  only  over  the  archway  at  the 
head  of  the  stairs,  where  it  was  supported  by  square, 
fluted  columns  with  beautifully  carved  capitals. 
Another  mannerism  of  the  time  is  the  variation  in 
the  treatment  of  the  doorways,-  the  pedimental 
doorheads  on  one  side  being  broken,  whereas  the 
others  are  not. 

But  the  handsomest  features  of  this  upper  hall  are 
the  Palladian  windows,  admitting  a  flood  of  light 
at  each  end,  with  their  rectangular  sashes  each  side 
of  a  higher,  round-arched  central  window  and  a 
delightful  arrangement  of  curved  sash  bars  at  the 
top.  The  many  small  panes  lend  a  pleasing  sense 
of  scale,  while  the  architectural  treatment  of  the 
frames  adds  to  the  charm  of  the  interior  woodwork 
quite  as  materially  as  to  the  exterior  facade.  In 
working  out  the  scheme,  the  entire  Ionic  order  is 
utilized  on  a  small  scale.  Both  the  casings  and  the 
mullions  take  the  form  of  fluted  square  columns 
with  typical  carved  capitals.  These  support  two 
complete  entablatures  forming  the  lintels  of  the 
rectangular  windows  and  being  carried  around  into 
the  embrasure  of  the  central   window,   the   keyed 

[  i64 1 


Plate  LXXVI.  —  Independence  Hall,  Chestnut  Street  Side. 


E 


in 
C/3 


C 


G 


> 

X 

w 
H 


Halls  and  Staircases 

arch  of  which  springs  from  the  entablatures.  It 
is  a  design  which  has  never  been  improved  upon. 
The  hall  and  staircase  at  Cliveden  combine  dis- 
tinctive characteristics  of  the  halls  at  Stenton  and 
Mount  Pleasant.  As  at  Stenton,  the  hall  itself 
consists  of  a  large  reception  room  centrally  located, 
and  about  which  the  other  principal  rooms  of  the 
house  are  grouped.  Through  an  archway  at  the 
rear  is  a  slightly  narrower  though  spacious  stair- 
case hall  extending  through  to  the  back  of  the  house, 
where  the  broken  staircase  rises  to  a  broad  landing 
and  the  direction  of  the  run  reverses.  The  archi- 
tecture is  as  pure  Doric  as  at  Mount  Pleasant,  but 
of  the  denticulated  rather  than  the  mutulary  order, 
and  altogether  more  satisfactory  for  interior  trim 
in  wood.  The  cornice  only  is  carried  around  the 
room  at  the  ceiling,  and  in  the  staircase  hall  only 
the  cymatium  and  corona  of  the  cornice ;  but  over 
the  archway,  supported  by  a  colonnade  of  four 
fluted  round  columns,  a  complete  entablature  with 
nicely  worked  classic  detail  is  employed  and  given 
added  emphasis  by  several  inches'  projection  into 
the  reception  hall.  The  columns  are  spaced  so  as 
to  form  a  wide  central  archway  flanked  by  two 
narrow  ones,  the  effect  being  a  staircase  vista  unex- 
celled in  the  domestic  architecture  of  Philadelphia. 
The  picture  is  enriched  by  a  heavily  paneled  wain- 
scot and  handsome,  deeply  embrasured  doorways 
with  architrave  casings,  paneled  jambs  and  soffits. 

[165] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

Except  for  the  single,  simple  turned  newel,  the 
staircase  is  much  like  that  at  Mount  Pleasant. 
There  is  the  similar  ramped  balustrade  and  paneled 
wainscot  with  ramped  surbase  and  dark  wood  cap 
rail  along  the  wall  opposite.  Little  pilasters  like- 
wise support  this  rail,  but  they  are  paneled  rather 
than  fluted.  There  are  similar  scroll-pattern  stair 
ends  and  paneling  under  the  stairs.  In  this  instance 
the  under  side  of  the  upper  run  is  paneled  in  wood 
rather  than  plastered.  The  turned  balusters  are 
slightly  more  elaborate  than  at  Mount  Pleasant, 
but  are  used  in  the  same  manner,  three  to  the  stair. 

Not  built  until  nearly  the  dawn  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  Upsala  belongs  to  a  later  period  than  most 
of  the  notable  houses  in  Philadelphia.  The  lighter 
grace  of  Adam  design  had  begun  to  dominate  Ameri- 
can building  and  is  to  be  seen  in  the  staircase  as 
well  as  in  the  mantels  and  other  interior  woodwork 
at  Upsala.  The  staircase  combines  features  of  the 
broken  flight  with  a  midway  landing,  such  as  the 
foregoing  examples,  and  of  the  later  development 
in  long  halls  where  the  direction  of  the  flight  was 
reversed  by  a  curved  portion  of  the  run  instead  of  a 
landing.  The  breadth  and  length  of  the  hall  made 
landings  possible  and  desirable,  but  instead  of  one 
wide  midway  landing  between  the  upper  and  lower 
runs  of  the  flight,  there  were  two  square  landings 
separated  by  three  steps,  the  stair  stringers,  balus- 
trade   and    wainscot    swinging    upward    in    broad- 

[166] 


Halls  and  Staircases 

sweeping  curves.  The  wainscot  consists  of  a  charm- 
ingly varied  paneling,  while  the  balustrade  is  lighter 
in  treatment  than  was  usually  the  case.  A  simple 
dark  wood  handrail,  slender,  square  molded  bal- 
usters and  stairs  having  a  low  rise  and  broad  treads 
lend  grace  of  appearance  rarely  equaled.  Jig- 
sawed  outline  brackets  of  unusually  harmonious 
scroll  pattern  placed  under  the  molded  overhang 
of  the  treads  provide  additional  ornamentation  of  a 
refined  character.  The  spiral  newel  is  but  a  simpler 
form  of  those  already  alluded  to.  Altogether  it  is  a 
staircase  that  charms  the  eye  through  its  unaffected 
simplicity,  a  quality  that  never  loses  its  power  of 
appeal  whether  found  inside  the  house  or  out. 

Two  other  stairways  with  balustrades  of  slender 
grace  are  worthy  of  note,  especially  as  instances  of 
a  single,  small  turned  newel  on  the  lower  step,  the 
handrail  terminating  in  a  round  cap  on  the  top. 
The  simpler  of  these  is  at  Roxborough  and  has  bal- 
usters of  unique  contour  standing  not  on  the  stair 
treads  but  on  the  cased-up  stair  stringer.  The 
staircase  in  the  Gowen  house,  Mount  Airy,  has  a 
balustrade  with  three  slender,  but  more  or  less  con- 
ventional, balusters  on  each  step,  the  treads,  like 
the  handrail  and  newel,  being  painted  dark.  A 
graceful  jig-sawed  bracket  of  scroll  pattern  adorns 
each  stair  end  under  the  overhang  of  the  tread,  and 
the  space  under  the  stairs  is  closed  in  by  well-spaced 
molded  and  raised  paneling. 

[167] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

Another  distinctive  scroll  outline  bracket  for  stair 
ends  forms  the  principal  feature  of  a  graceful  stair- 
case in  the  Carpenter  house,  Third  and  Spruce 
streets.  The  pattern  manifests  great  refinement 
and  hasYexcellent  proportion.  In  contrast  with 
these  lighter  designs  for  domestic  architecture,  it 
is  interesting  to  examine  the  stair-end  treatment  in 
Independence  Hall,  which  is  equally  pleasing  as  an 
example  of  heavier,  richer  detail  for  public  work. 
The  brackets  are  solid,  of  evolute  spiral  outline  and 
beautifully  hand  carved. 


[168] 


CHAPTER  X 

MANTELS  AND   CHIMNEY  PIECES 

IN  Colonial  times  fireplaces  were  a  necessity. 
They  supplied  the  only  means  of  heating  the 
house,  and  much  of  the  cooking  was  done  by 
them  also.  Indeed,  the  hanging  of  the  crane  was 
regarded  as  a  signal  event  in  establishing  a  new 
home,  and  often  a  cast-iron  fireback  bore  the  date 
of  erection  of  the  house  and  the  name  or  initials  of 
its  owner.  Each  of  the  principal  rooms  had  its 
fireplace  and  often  a  large  parlor,  drawing-room 
or  library  had  two  fireplaces,  usually  at  opposite 
ends  or  sides,  though  rarely  on  the  same  side,  as  in 
the  library  at  Stenton.  The  hearthstone  was  the 
center  of  family  life,  and  architects,  therefore,  very 
properly  made  the  mantels  and  chimney  pieces  with 
which  they  embellished  the  fireplace  the  architec- 
tural center  of  each  room,  —  the  gem  in  a  setting 
of  nicely  wrought  interior  woodwork. 

Then  came  the  Franklin  stove,  throwing  more 
heat  out  into  the  room  and  less  up  the  chimney. 
Fireplaces  were  accordingly  bricked  up  to  accom- 
modate it,  a  pipe  was  run  into  it,  and  presently  the 

[169] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

air-tight  stove  supplanted  Franklin's  open  grate. 
Later  central  heating  plants  for  hot  air,  steam  and 
hot  water  were  developed  in  the  basement  and 
connected  by  pipes  with  registers  and  radiators  in 
the  various  rooms  above.  They  gave  greater  and 
more  even  heat,  consumed  less  fuel  and  were  more 
easily  taken  care  of  than  several  fires  in  various 
parts  of  the  house.  For  a  time  houses  were  built 
for  the  most  part  without  fireplaces,  but  gradually 
a  sense  of  loss  began  to  be  generally  felt.  These 
registers  and  radiators  warmed  the  flesh,  but  they 
left  the  spirit  cold ;  there  was  no  poetry  or  senti- 
ment whatever  about  them. 

The  outcome  was  obvious.  The  central  heating 
plant  has  of  course  remained,  but  recent  years  have 
witnessed  the  general  reopening  of  bricked-up  fire- 
places in  old  houses  large  and  small,  and  to-day  few 
new  houses  are  built  without  a  fireplace  in  the 
living  room  at  least.  To  a  degree  it  is  a  luxury, 
perhaps,  though  not  a  very  expensive  one,  yet  it  is 
something  for  which  all  able  to  do  so  are  very  glad 
to  pay.  Besides,  on  chilly  spring  and  autumn  days 
and  rainy  summer  evenings  it  provides  a  cheap  and 
convenient  auxiliary  heating  plant.  But  an  open 
fire  warms  more  than  the  hands  and  feet ;  it  reaches 
the  heart.  Its  appeal  goes  back  to  the  tribal  camp- 
fire  and  stirs  some  primitive  instinct  in  man. 
"Hearth  and  home"  are  synonymous;  there  is  a 
whole    ritual    of    domestic    worship    which    centers 

[  170] 


Wv^^ 

i >-  -  .  . 

HKp'^lfe* 

Hj 
is 

I 

1 

r  1  P 

friiir^ 

*^^fc«Bto^            1 

Plate   LXXVIII.  —  Stairway  Landing,   Independence  Hall;  Pal- 
ladian  Window  at  Stairway  Landing. 


J2 

6 

U 


- 


Mantels  and  Chimney   Pieces 

around  an  open  fire.  A  blaze  on  a  hearth  is  more 
than  a  luxury,  more  than  a  comfort;  it  is  an  altar 
fire. 

And  so  in  building  the  modern  Colonial  home  we 
find  ourselves  ever  going  back  to  study  the  creations 
of  the  master  builders  of  provincial  times  in  America, 
when  fireplaces  meant  even  more  than  they  do  to- 
day, and  finding  in  their  achievements  ideas  and 
inspiration  of  great  beauty  and  practical  value. 
The  neighborhood  of  Philadelphia  is  as  rich  in  its 
collection  of  fine  old  mantels  and  chimney  pieces 
as  in  its  splendid  interior  woodwork  generally. 
Like  the  latter  they  are  for  the  most  part  of  the 
early  Georgian  period,  mostly  chimney  pieces,  many 
without  shelves,  and  usually  somewhat  heavy  in 
scale  and  detail. 

As  in  other  important  architectural  features  the 
development  of  mantels  and  chimney  pieces  in 
America  followed  to  a  degree  the  prevailing  mode  in 
the  mother  country-  F°r  many  years  after  the 
Italian  classic  orders  were  brought  to  England  by 
Inigo  Jones,  early  in  the  seventeenth  century, 
chimney  pieces  usually  consisted  merely  of  a  mantel 
shelf  and  classic  architraves  or  bolection  moldings 
about  the  fireplace  opening,  the  chimney  breast 
above  being  paneled  like  the  rest  of  the  room. 
Toward  the  end  of  that  century,  and  for  several 
decades  following,  the  shelf  was  omitted  and  the 
paneling  on  the  chimney  breast  took  the  form  of  two 

[171] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

horizontally  disposed  oblongs,  the  upper  broader 
than  the  lower. 

Such  an  arrangement  in  its  simplest  form  is  to  be 
seen  in  the  great  hall  at  Stenton,  where  a  fireplace 
is  located  across  one  corner.  The  elliptical  arch 
of  the  white  pilastered  brickwork  and  the  height 
of  the  horizontal  architrave  above  this  arch  impart 
a  touch  of  quaint  distinction.  One  notices  with 
admiration  the  beautiful  brass  andirons  and  fire  set, 
and  with  interest  the  floreated  cast-iron  fireback. 

Going  to  the  other  extreme  we  find  in  the  parlor 
at  Whitby  Hall  a  magnificently  ornate  example  of 
the  chimney  piece  without  a  mantel  shelf  which,  as 
in  many  Colonial  houses,  has  been  made  the  central 
feature  of  One  side  of  the  room,  symmetrically  ar- 
ranged and  architecturally  treated  with  wood  panel- 
ing throughout.  A  heavy  cornice  with  prominent 
double  denticulated  string  course  or  crenelated 
molding  runs  entirely  around  the  room,  tying  the 
fireplace  end  of  the  room  into  the  general  scheme. 
The  chimney  piece  projects  slightly,  lending  greater 
emphasis,  and  at  each  side  the  wall  space  is  given 
over  to  high  round-topped  double  doors  of  closets 
divided  into  upper  and  lower  parts,  beautifully 
flush-paneled  and  hung  with  quaint  iron  H  hinges. 
Like  those  of  the  other  doors  and  windows,  the 
casings  are  of  architrave  pattern  and  in  the  center 
of  the  round  arch  is  a  keystone-shaped  ornament 
hand-tooled  in  wood.    The  fireplace  opening  is  faced 

[  172] 


Plate  LXXX.  —  Judge's  Bench,  Supreme  Court  Room,  Independ- 
ence Hall ;  Arcade  at  Opposite  End  of  Court  Room. 


Plate    LXXXI.  —  Banquet  Hall,   Second    Floor,    Independence 
Hall ;  Entrance  to  Banquet  Hall. 


Mantels  and  Chimney    Pieces 

beautifully  with  cut  black  marble  brought  from 
Scotland  and  outlined  with  a  nicely  chiseled  ovolo 
molding  in  wood  similar  to  the  familiar  egg  and 
dart  pattern,  but  incorporating  the  richer  Lesbian 
leaf  instead  of  the  dart,  a  closely  related  reed-like 
motive  replacing  the  conventional  bead  and  reel. 
Two  handsomely  carved  consoles  resting  on  the 
fillet  of  this  ovolo  molding  support  the  superb 
molded  panel  of  the  overmantel  some  three  by  five 
feet,  in  which  to  this  day  not  a  joint  is  to  be  seen. 
A  band  of  exquisite  floreated  carving  in  high  relief 
fills  the  long,  narrow,  horizontal  panel  between  the 
consoles.  The  precision  of  the  tooling  in  this  intri- 
cate tracery  is  indeed  remarkable.  Nicely  worked 
but  simple  parallel  moldings  with  the  favorite 
Grecian  fret  sharply  delineated  between  them  and 
Lesbian  leaf  ornaments  in  the  square  projections 
at  the  corners  compose  a  frame  of  exceptional  grace 
of  detail  and  proportion.  Rarely  is  an  ensemble  so 
elaborate  accompanied  by  such  a  marked  degree  of 
good  taste  and  restraint. 

In  the  great  chamber  on  the  second  floor,  which 
is  believed  to  have  been  the  boudoir  of  the  mistress 
of  Mount  Vernon,  there  is  a  very  similar,  though 
even  more  elaborate,  architectural  treatment  of  the 
fireplace  and  of  the  room.  Closets  with  round- 
topped  doors  again  occupy  the  spaces  each  side  of 
the  fireplace;  the  cornice  surrounding  the  entire 
room    with    its    conspicuous    Grecian    fret    motive 

[  173] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

again  ties  the  paneled  end  of  the  room  into  the 
general  scheme,  and  in  this  instance  the  relation  is 
made  closer  by  the  paneled  wainscot  which  is  carried 
about  all  four  walls.  In  this  wainscot  two  panel 
sections  under  each  closet  are  hung  as  double  doors 
opening  into  small  supplementary  closets.  Owing 
to  the  loftiness  of  the  room,  the  closet  doors  have 
been  elaborated  by  ornate  broken  pedimental  heads 
repeating  the  cornice  on  a  smaller  scale,  and  which 
are  supported  by  paneled  pilasters  and  large  consoles 
superbly  carved  with  an  acanthus  leaf  decoration. 

Beautiful  as  these  doorways  are  in  themselves, 
they  are  so  much  heavier  in  treatment  than  the 
overmantel  as  to  detract  from  it ;  they  do  not  occupy 
an  unobtrusive  subordinate  position,  as  do  the 
closet  doors  of  the  parlor  at  Whitby  Hall.  More- 
over, the  trim  of  each  door  occupies  such  a  breadth 
of  wall  space  that  the  fireplace  and  overmantel  are 
narrowed,  the  latter  taking  the  form  of  a  vertical 
rather  than  a  horizontal  oblong.  In  fact,  the  domi- 
nant lines  throughout  are  here  vertical  as  contrasted 
with  the  dominant  horizontal  lines  at  Whitby  Hall. 
The  loftiness  and  stateliness  of  the  room  are  thereby 
emphasized,  but  the  effect  is  less  restful. 

In  architectural  detail  the  fireplace  and  over- 
mantel recall  that  of  the  Whitby  Hall  chimney 
piece.  There  are  similar  black  marble  facings  about 
the  fireplace  opening  outlined  by  a  hand-tooled 
molding,    and    similar   elaborately   carved    consoles 

[mi 


Mantels  and  Chimney   Pieces 

supporting  a  handsomely  molded  panel  with  pro- 
jecting ornamental  corners,  but  in  this  instance 
the  panel  is  surmounted  by  a  highly  ornamental 
top,  consisting  of  a  swag  or  broken  pediment  with 
an  exquisitely  hand-carved  floreated  design  in  high 
relief  between  the  volutes  which  imparts  a  charming 
lightness  and  grace  to  the  ensemble.  Pilaster  pro- 
jections bearing  nicely  delineated  leaf  ornaments 
above  the  corners  of  the  overmantel  panel  tie  into 
corresponding  projections  in  the  cornice  and  unify 
the  whole  construction.  Otherwise  the  chimney 
piece  differs  from  that  of  Whitby  Hall  chiefly  in  its 
moldings,  in  which  the  Lesbian  leaf  is  prominent. 
The  ovolo  about  the  marble  facings  of  the  fireplace 
bears  the  conventional  bead  and  reel  and  egg  and 
dart  motives,  the  latter  having  a  leaf  design  in 
alternation  with  the  egg.  The  ogee  molding  out- 
lining the  overmantel  panel  is  enriched  with  a  larger 
and  a  smaller  leaf  motive  in  alternation,  while  the 
torus  of  the  inner  molding  of  this  panel  bears  a 
little  conventionalized  flower  in  alternation  with 
crossed  flat  fillets. 

Altogether  more  pleasing  is  the  chimney  piece  in 
the  parlor  at  Mount  Pleasant.  In  fact,  it  is  regarded 
as  one  of  the  handsomest  chimney  pieces  without  a 
mantel  shelf  in  America.  Its  excellence  is  due  not 
to  superiority  of  detail,  but  to  better  proportion, 
the  breadth  of  the  chimney  breast  being  sufficient  to 
make  the  overmantel  panel  practically  square.     This 

[175] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

great  fireplace  construction  ,  for  burning  four-foot 
logs  projects  into  the  room  some  eighteen  inches, 
with  wood-paneled  sides,  the  adjoining  walls  being 
plastered.  Around  it  are  carried  the  chaste  Ionic 
cornice  with  its  prominent  dentil  course ;  and  the 
paneled  wainscot  below  corresponds  to  the  pedestal 
of  the  order.  In  the  general  arrangement  of  the 
design,  this  chimney  piece  follows  closely  that  of 
the  one  above,  except  that  top,  sides  and  bottom 
of  the  overmantel  panel  frame  are  alike.  As  at 
Whitby  Hall  the  familiar  Grecian  fret  very  accept- 
ably occupies  the  space  between  the  inner  and 
outer  moldings  of  this  frame  and  obviates  the  need 
of  any  elaborate  carved  decoration  above  the  panel. 
Contrasting  pleasingly  with  this  fret  and  on  opposite 
sides  of  it  are  a  plain  molded  ovolo  outlining  the 
panel  and  a  small  floreated  torus  supplemented  by 
a  molded  cymatium  within.  The  pilaster  pro- 
jections tying  the  panel  treatment  to  the  cornice 
bear  three  nicely  tooled  vertical  flower  designs  in  a 
row,  an  unusual  conception.  An  ovolo  of  conven- 
tional egg  and  dart  motive  with  the  customary  bead 
and  reel  astragal  outlines  the  black  marble  facings  of 
the  fireplace  opening.  The  console  ornamentation 
is  strongly  reminiscent  of  that  at  Whitby  Hall. 

The  mantel  shelf  proper  was  far  too  practical  and 
attractive  a  feature  of  the  fireplace  to  be  long  aban- 
doned, however.  It  furnished  a  convenient  place 
for  clocks,  candlesticks,  china  and  other  ornaments, 

[i76] 


Mantels   and  Chimney   Pieces 

and  it  appealed  to  the  eye  because  of  the  homelike, 
livable  appearance  these  articles  of  decoration  gave 
to  the  room.  About  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth 
century  the  shelf  of  former  times  was  reinstated  and 
the  overmantel  was  developed  into  a  single  large 
and  elaborately  framed  panel  over  the  chimney 
breast  in  which  often  hung  a  family  portrait,  a 
gilt-framed  mirror  or  girandole. 

Such  a  chimney  piece  is  to  be  seen  in  the  parlor 
at  Cliveden,  its  fireplace  opening  partly  closed  up 
to  convert  it  for  use  with  the  coal  grate  shown  by 
the  accompanying  illustration.  In  this  instance 
the  carved  consoles  support  the  shelf  rather  than  the 
panel  of  the  overmantel,  which  engages  neither  the 
shelf  nor  the  cornice  with  its  prominent  double 
denticulated  molding.  Otherwise,  the  chimney  piece 
is  essentially  the  same  in  arrangement  as  that  in  the 
parlor  at  Mount  Pleasant.  It  has  the  same  pleas- 
ing breadth  and  generally  good  proportions,  but  is 
severely  simple  in  detail,  the  conventional  ovolo  of 
egg  and  dart  motive  without  the  astragal  which 
outlines  the  black  marble  fireplace  facings  being  the 
only  enriched  molding.  As  was  customary,  the 
shelf  takes  the  form  of  a  cymatium,  and  the  pro- 
jections above  the  consoles  and  central  panel  are 
characteristic  details. 

Much  like  this,  though  simpler  in  the  absence 
of  any  enriched  moldings  and  having  less  projection, 
is  the  chimney  piece  on  the  second  floor  of  an  old 

[  177] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

Spruce  Street  house  shown  by  an  accompanying 
illustration.  It  has  substantially  the  same  over- 
mantel frame  and  mantel  treatment.  Incidentally 
it  furnishes  an  excellent  example  of  the  complete 
paneling  of  one  end  of  a  room  with  the  familiar 
six-panel  ordinary  inside  doors  each  side  of  the 
fireplace.  The  architrave  casings  of  the  doors  with 
their  horizontal  projections  over  the  lintel  are  in 
pleasing  accord  with  the  corresponding  projections 
of  the  overmantel  frame  and  of  the  facing  of  the 
fireplace  opening. 

Toward  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century  and  for 
some  years  thereafter,  mantels  with  a  shelf,  but 
without  any  overmantel  treatment  of  the  chimney 
breast,  became  the  rule.  The  whole  construction 
was  usually  projected  from  twelve  to  eighteen  inches 
into  the  room,  however,  and  as  the  surbase  and 
skirting  or  a  paneled  wainscot  and  the  cornice  above 
was  carried  around  it,  the  effect  was  much  like  that 
of  a  chimney  piece,  especially  when  a  large,  orna- 
mental framed  mantel  mirror  occupied  the  space 
over  the  chimney  breast. 

The  mantel  itself  took  the  form  of  a  complete 
entablature  above  the  fireplace  opening,  supported 
by  pilasters  at  each  side,  the  pilasters  usually  being 
carried  up  through  the  entablature  by  projections 
in  architrave,  frieze  and  cornice  respectively,  and 
the  cymatium  of  the  cornice  forming  the  mantel 
shelf.    The    classic    orders    supplied    much    of    the 

[178] 


Mantels   and  Chimney   Pieces 

ornamental  detail  with  which  these  mantels  were 
embellished,  and  the  work  gave  full  scope  to  the 
genius  of  English  and  American  wood-carvers,  of 
whom  there  were  many  of  marked  ability  in  America. 

The  thriving  condition  of  the  ship-building  in-  \ 
dustry  in  the  colonies  was  instrumental  in  attract- 
ing and  developing  skilled  wood-carvers.  Many  of 
them  became  apt  students  of  architecture  and  pro- 
ficient in  executing  hand-tooled  enriched  moldings 
and  other  ornament  for  mantels  and  chimney 
pieces.  Not  content  with  the  conventional  detail 
of  the  classic  orders,  they  varied  it  considerably  to 
suit  their  purposes,  using  familiar  motives  in  new 
ways,  securing  classic  effects  with  detail  of  their 
own  conception,  and  at  times  departing  far  from 
all  precedent.  For  the  most  part  their  achieve- 
ments displayed  that  good  taste  and  restraint  com- 
bined with  a  novelty  and  an  ingenuity  which  have 
given  our  best  Colonial  architecture  its  principa 
charm  and  distinction.  _£LCL* 

Numerous  examples  of  this  sort  of  hand-carved 
mantels  are  to  be  found  in  Philadelphia,  but  none 
elicits  greater  admiration  than  those  in  two  rooms 
at  Upsala  which  are  shown  by  accompanying  il- 
lustrations. Enriched  with  a  wealth  of  intricate, 
fine-scale  hand-tooling  of  daintiness  and  precision, 
they  indicate  the  influence  of  Adam  design  and 
detail,  although  quite  unlike  the  typical  Adam 
mantel.     They  form  an  especially  interesting  study 

[  179] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

for  comparison  because  of  the  marked  similarity  of 
the  general  scheme  in  all  three  and  the  difference  in 
effect  resulting  from  variations  in  detail. 

The  simplest  of  the  three  is  a  mantel  for  an  iron 
hob  grate  with  dark  marble  facings  outlined  by 
simple  moldings.  Familiar  fluted  pilasters  support 
a  mantel  board  entablature  of  rare  beauty.  Beneath 
a  conventional  cymatium  and  corona,  with  projec- 
tions above  the  pilasters  and  central  panel  of  the 
frieze,  is  a  nicely  worked  dentil  course,  —  a  band 
of  vertical  flutes  with  a  drilled  tooth  in  the  upper 
half  of  each  alternate  flute.  The  pilaster  projec- 
tions of  the  frieze  are  fluted  in  dots  and  dashes 
arranged  in  vertical  lines,  while  a  similar  treatment 
of  the  central  panel  is  so  arranged  that  a  pattern 
suggesting  four  festoons  and  five  straight  hanging 
garlands  is  produced.  The  upper  fascia  is  enriched 
with  groups  of  five  vertical  flutes  in  alternation 
with  an  incised  conventionalized  flower. 

Resembling  the  foregoing,  but  more  elaborate, 
is  the  mantel  in  the  parlor  with  its  richer  moldings 
and  intricate  carving.  An  astragal  with  the  cus- 
tomary bead  and  reel  separates  the  cymatium  and 
the  corona,  while  a  drilled  rope  supplies  the  bed 
molding  above  the  dentil  course.  The  latter  con- 
sists of  a  continuous  pattern  of  vertical  and  shorter 
horizontal  flutes,  the  alternate  vertical  half  spaces 
above  and  below  the  cross  line  of  the  H  being  cut 
out   flat   and    deeper.     The   pilaster   projections   of 

[180] 


ffi 


60 

C 

o 

0 


X 

u 

4-1 
C/3 


X! 
X 
1-3 

w 


Mantels   and  Chimney    Pieces 

the  frieze,  the  central  panel  and  the  pilasters  at  each 
side  of  the  fireplace  opening  supporting  the  entabla- 
ture are  vertical  fluted  in  short  sections  which 
break  joints  like  running  bond  in  brickwork.  In 
both  the  pilaster  projections  and  the  central  panel 
the  carving  has  been  done  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
leave  four-sided  decorative  figures  with  segmental 
sides  in  slender  outline  flush  with  the  surface.  The 
upper  fascia  of  the  architrave  is  adorned  by  shallow 
drillings  suggesting  tiny  festoons  and  straight  hang- 
ing garlands  with  a  conventionalized  flower  above 
each  festoon.  A  cavetto  molding,  enriched  with  a 
bead  and  reel  astragal  and  another  drilled  rope 
torus,  outlines  the  dark  marble  facings  about  the 
fireplace  opening.  Handsome  brass  andirons,  fender 
and  fire  set,  together  with  the  large  gilt-framed 
mirror  above,  combine  with  the  mantel  to  make  this 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  fireplaces  in  Philadelphia. 
The  third  example  in  another  room  at  Upsala  is 
virtually  the  same  as  the  mantel  just  described, 
except  for  the  greater  elaboration  of  the  pilasters, 
pilaster  projections  of  the  frieze  and  central  panel. 
Apart  from  these  three  features,  the  only  essential 
differences  are  a  dentil  course  in  the  cornice  like 
that  of  the  first  Upsala  mantel  described  and  a 
vertical  fluted  belt  in  the  capital  of  the  pilasters 
and  associated  moldings.  In  the  pilaster  projec- 
tions of  the  frieze  there  are  flush  outline  ornaments 
taking  the  form  of  a   shield,   while  other  graceful 

[181] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

outline  patterns  running  through  the  flutings  adorn 
the  upper  half  of  the  pilasters  proper.  The  lower 
half  is  fluted  in  the  short  running  bond  sections. 
The  central  panel  of  the  frieze  retains  and  elaborates 
the  motive  of  festoons  and  straight  hanging  garlands, 
the  space  above  the  festoons  in  this  instance  being 
left  flush  except  for  an  incised  conventionalized 
flower  design  in  each  of  the  three  sections. 

Rarely  are  three  mantels  of  such  attractive  de- 
sign, good  proportion,  distinctive  detail  and  dainty 
appearance  to  be  found  in  a  single  house.  Seldom 
are  three  mantels  to  be  found  which  are  so  similar 
and  yet  so  different.  They  present  an  eloquent 
illustration  of  the  infinite  possibilities  of  minor 
variation  in  architectural  design. 

The  same  influences  were  at  work  elsewhere, 
however,  and  two  other  mantels  shown  by  accom- 
panying illustrations,  one  in  a  house  at  Third  and 
DeLancy  streets  and  another  in  the  Rex  house, 
Mount  Airy,  show  numerous  variations  of  similar 
motives.  In  both,  vertical  flutings  are  depended 
upon  chiefly  for  decoration,  ornamental  patterns 
being  formed  by  flush  sections  where  the  cutting  of 
the  flutes  is  interrupted.  In  both  instances  the 
original  fireplace  opening  has  been  partially  closed 
up,  in  one  case  for  a  Franklin  stove,  and  in  the  other 
for  a  hob  grate,  both  for  burning  coal. 

The  mantel  at  Number  312  Cypress  Street,  with 
its   well-proportioned    entablature   and   paneled   pi- 

[182] 


Mantels   and  Chimney    Pieces 

lasters,  displays  a  central  panel  in  the  frieze  similar 
to  the  foregoing  examples,  but  possesses  a  more 
distinct  Adam  character  in  the  human  figures  in 
composition  applied  to  the  pilaster  projections  of 
the  frieze,  and  in  the  drillings  of  the  upper  fascia 
of  the  architrave,  simulating  festoons.  A  reeded 
ovolo  and  deeply  cut  and  drilled  denticulated  mem- 
ber lend  sufficient  emphasis  to  the  string  course  of 
the  cornice. 

At  Number  729  Walnut  Street  is  to  be  seen  a 
typically  Adam  mantel  of  exceptional  grace  and 
beauty.  Instead  of  the  usual  pilasters  the  entabla- 
ture is  supported  by  two  pairs  of  slender  reeded 
colonnettes,  and  the  fireplace  opening  is  framed  by 
moldings  in  which  a  torus  enriched  with  a  rope 
motive  is  prominent.  The  shelf  or  cymatium  of 
the  entablature  has  round  corners  and  is  supported 
by  pilaster  projections  above  the  colonnettes  at  each 
end  and  by  a  projecting  central  panel,  all  of  these 
projections  being  vertical  fluted  in  the  frieze  por- 
tion. Both  the  central  panel  and  the  sunken  panels 
each  side  of  it  bear  graceful  festoons  and  straight 
hanging  garlands  suspended  from  flower  ornaments, 
the  central  space  of  both  sunken  panels  being  occu- 
pied by  a  small,  sharply  delineated  medallion  in 
white,  suggestive  of  wedgewood.  This  composition 
work  was  nicely  detailed  and  is  still  well  preserved. 
Below,  the  upper  fascia  of  the  architrave  is  enriched 
in  accord  with  the  Adam  spirit.     Drillings  forming 

[183] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

festoons  with  a  tiny  ornament  above  alternate 
with  groups  of  seven  vertical  dotted  lines.  The 
fireplace  opening  has  been  closed  up  with  stone 
slabs  to  inclose  a  Franklin  stove  for  burning  coal, 
the  effect  being  much  the  same  as  a  hob  grate.  In 
terms  of  dainty  grace  and  chaste  simplicity  this  »* 
one  of  the  best  mantels  in  Philadelphia. 


[i84] 


CHAPTER  XI 
INTERIOR  WOOD   FINISH 

"E  IW  ANTELS  and  staircases,  the  most  important 
j[Y  J  architectural  features  of  interiors,  were 
very  properly  elaborated  considerably  beyond 
the  somewhat  negative  character  of  background 
accessories  by  the  builders  of  Colonial  times. 
Virtually  furnishings  as  well  as  necessary  parts  of 
the  house,  the  application  of  tasteful  ornamentation 
to  them  seems  amply  justified.  Each  is  a  subject 
in  itself,  as  indicated  by  the  fact  that  stair  building 
and  mantel  construction  still  remain  independent 
trades  quite  apart  from  ordinary  joinery.  For  that 
reason  two  separate  chapters  of  this  book  have 
been  devoted  to  these  important  subjects,  the 
present  chapter  being  devoted  to  interior  woodwork 
in  general. 

What  the  interior  wood  trim  of  the  average 
eighteenth-century  Philadelphia  house  consists  of  is 
shown  by  accompanying  photographs,  especially 
those  in  Stenton,  Mount  Pleasant  and  Whitby  Hall. 
It  is  found  that  the  principal  rooms  of  pretentious 
mansions,    such   as   the   hall,    parlor   and    reception 

[185] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

room  at  Stenton,  were  sometimes  entirely  paneled 
up  on  all  side,s.  About  this  time,  however,  hand- 
blocked  wall  paper  began  to  be  brought  to  America, 
and  a  favorite  treatment ^TColonial  interiors,  in- 
cluding halls,  parlors,  dining  rooms  and  even  the 
principal  bedrooms  of  large  houses,  combined_a 
cornice,  or  often  a  cornice  and  frieze,  and  sometimes 
a  complete  entablature,  with  a  paneled  wainscot  or 
a  flat  dado  with  surbase  and  skirting,  the  wail  be- 
tween being  papered.  Sometimes  a  dado  effect  was 
secured  by  means  of  a  surbase  above  the  skirting, 
the  plaster  space  between  being  left  white  as  in 
the  parlor  at  Cliveden  or  in  the  hall  and  dining 
room  at  Whitby  Hall,  or  papered  like  the  wall 
above,  as  in  the  parlor  at  Whitby  Hall  and  in  some 
of  the  chambers  at  Upsala.  Later  the  skirting 
only  was  frequently  employed  with  a  simple  cornice 
or  picture  mold,  even  in  the  principal  rooms  of  the 
better  houses,  as  in  the  dining  room  at  Whitby  Hall. 
Several  accompanying  illustrations  show  it  with 
the  dado,  while  a  few  interiors  of  Mount  Pleasant, 
Upsala  and  Cliveden  show  it  with  the  paneled 
wainscot.  This  general  scheme  constitutes  a  pleas- 
ing and  consistent  application  of  the  classic  orders 
to  interior  walls,  the  dado,  the  wall  above  it  and 
whatever  portion  of  the  entablature  happens  to  be 
employed  corresponding  to  the  pedestal,  shaft  and 
entablature  of  the  complete  order  respectively.  In 
a   room  so  treated   the  dado  becomes   virtually   a 

[186] 


.  Interior    If^ood  Finish 

continuous  pedestal  with  a  base  or  skirting  and  a 
surbase  above  the  die  or  plane  face  of  the  pedestal. 
Usually  this  surbase  is  molded  to  resemble  the 
upper  fascia  or  the  complete  architrave  of  the  vari- 
ous orders.  Again  it  may  be  hand-carved  with 
vertical  flutings,  continuous,  as  in  the  parlor  at 
Upsala,  or  in  groups  of  three  or  more  in  alternation 
with  an  incised  flower  pattern,  as  in  the  Rex  house. 

For  the  most  part  the  surmounting  cornice  and 
frieze  of  the  room  was  of  wood,  beautifully  molded 
and  often  hand-carved,  the  architrave  usually  being 
omitted.  In  the  library  at  Solitude,  however,  is  to 
be  seen  a  handsome  cornice  and  frieze  entirely  of 
plaster  or  composition  work  in  the  Adam  manner, 
including  familiar  classic  detail  in  which  enriched 
cavetto  and  ogee  moldings,  festoons,  flower  orna- 
ments and  draped  human  figures  are  prominent. 
When  chandeliers  for  candles  began  to  be  used  in 
private  houses  they  were  hung  from  ornamental 
centerpieces  of  plaster  on  the  ceiling,  the  motives 
usually  being  circles,  ovals,  festooned  garlands  and 
acanthus  leaves.  Such  a  centerpiece  and  orna- 
mental treatment  of  the  ceiling  is  also  a  feature  of 
this  room. 

In  most  of  the  better  houses  during  the  Provincial 
period,  important  rooms  had  paneled  wainscots, 
papered  walls  and  molded  cornices,  as  in  the  parlor 
and  second-story  hall  at  Mount  Pleasant  and  in  the 
parlor  at  Upsala.     Sometimes  the  plaster  walls  were 

[187] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

left  white  or  painted,  as  in  the  hall  at  Cliveden 
and  the  library  at  Stenton.  A  fireplace  with  paneled 
chimney  piece  was  an  important  feature  of  most 
rooms,  and  the  entire  wall  including  it  was  often 
completely  paneled  up,  closely  relating  the  fireplace, 
doors  or  windows  in  a  definite  architectural  scheme, 
as  already  shown  by  examples  in  Stenton,  Whitby 
Hall  and  Mount  Pleasant.  Embrasured  windows 
with  two-part  paneled  folding  shutters  and  seats 
jutting  somewhat  into  the  room  were  customary 
in  early  brick  and  stone  houses,  as  at  Stenton. 
These  were  fastened  by  bars  of  wood  thrust  across 
from  side  to  side  and  fitting  into  slots  in  the  jambs. 
Later,  outside  shutters  came  into  vogue,  and  the 
jambs  and  soffit  of  the  embrasures  were  paneled, 
as  at  Whitby  Hall,  the  treatment  of  the  Palladian 
window  on  the  staircase  landing  in  this  house  being 
an  especially  fine  example. 

The  parlor  at  Stenton  is  among  the  most  notable 
instances  in  Philadelphia  of  this  architectural  treat- 
ment of  the  fireplace  in  a  room  with  wood  paneling 
throughout.  Along  Georgian  lines  and  decidedly 
substantial  in  character,  it  is  essentially  simple  in 
conception  and  graceful  in  form  and  proportion, 
the  spacing  of  the  large  bolection  molded  raised 
panels  being  excellent.  First  attention  properly 
goes  to  the  wide  chimney  piece  with  its  unusual,  but 
attractive  overmantel  paneling,  low  arched  and 
marble-faced  fireplace  opening,  beautiful  brass  fen- 

[188] 


Interior    Wood  Finish 

der  and  andirons.  The  symmetrical  arrangement 
of  two  flanking  china  closets,  with  round-headed 
double  doors  recalling  those  shown  at  Whitby 
Hall  and  Mount  Pleasant,  is  most  effective.  The 
work  is  executed  in  a  masterly  manner,  the  pro- 
portions being  well  calculated  and  the  precision 
of  the  hand  tooling  remarkably  well  maintained. 
Both  the  doors  and  embrasured  windows  of  this 
room  merit  careful  study. 

Of  more  modest,  but  generally  similar  treatment, 
is  the  paneling  of  the  reception  room  at  Stenton, 
the  fireplace  opening  here  having  been  closed  for 
installation  of  a   Franklin   stove. 

At  Whitby  Hall  there  are  two  interesting  and 
characteristic  examples  of  embrasured  windows  with 
paneled  jambs  and  soffits,  and  molded  architrave 
casings.  In  the  dining  room  the  embrasures  are 
cased  down  to  the  window  seats,  while  in  the  parlor 
the  casings  with  their  broader  sections  at  top  and 
bottom  do  not  extend  below  the  surbase,  although 
the  embrasure  continues  to  the  floor.  In  this 
latter  room  one  of  the  Colonial  builder's  favorite 
motives,  ever  recurring  with  minor  variations 
throughout  many  houses,  occupies  the  string  course 
of  the  cornice.  This  double  denticulated  member 
or  Grecian  fret  band  is  formed  by  vertical  cross 
cuttings,  alternately  from  top  and  bottom  of  a 
square  molding,  the  plain  ogee  molding  beneath 
giving  it  just  the  proper  emphasis. 

[189] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

Conforming  to  the  characteristic  panel  arrange- 
ment of  the  time,  most  of  the  inside  doors  of  Phila- 
delphia have  six  panels,  the  upper  pair  being  not 
quite  square  and  the  two  lower  pairs  being  oblong, 
the  middle  pair  being  longer  than  the  lower.  Like 
outside  doors  they  were  for  the  most  part  molded 
and  raised  with  broad  bevels,  although  occasionally, 
as  on  the  second  floor  at  Mount  Pleasant,  they  were 
flat  and  bolection  molded,  giving  the  door  a  con- 
siderably different  aspect.  Generally  speaking,  the 
workmanship  was  excellent,  the  beveling  of  the 
panels  and  the  molding  of  the  stiles  and  rails  mani- 
festing the  utmost  painstaking.  A  simple  knob 
and  key-plate,  usually  of  brass,  completed  the 
complement  of  hardware,  apart  from  the  H  hinges 
of  early  years  and  the  butts  which  soon  followed. 
It  will  be  noted  that  all  of  these  six-panel  doors 
have  stiles  and  muntins  of  virtually  equal  width, 
any  variation  being  slightly  wider  stiles.  Top  and 
frieze  rails  are  alike  and  about  the  same  width  as 
the  muntin,  but  the  bottom  rail  is  somewhat  broader 
and  the  lock  rail  the  broadest  of  the  four.  Mold- 
ings are  very  simple  and  confined  to  the  edge  of 
the  panels,  with  the  splayed  or  beveled  panels  of 
earlier  years  gradually  being  abandoned  in  favor 
of  plain,  flat  surfaces. 

Architrave  casings  were  the  rule,  sometimes  ex- 
tending to  the  floor  and  often  standing  on  heavy, 
square    plinth    blocks    the    height    of    the    skirting 

[  190] 


Interior    Wood  Finish 

beneath  its  molding.  There  are  instances  of  both 
types  at  Mount  Pleasant  and  Whitby  Hall.  The 
thickness  of  the  walls  in  houses  of  brick  and  stone 
encouraged  the  custom  of  paneling  the  jambs  and 
soffit  of  doorway  openings  to  correspond  with  the 
paneling  of  the  doors,  the  effect  being  rich  and 
very  pleasing.  Generally  the  architrave  casing  was 
miter-joined  across  the  lintel,  as  at  Upsala,  but  in 
many  of  the  better  houses  this  horizontal  part  of 
the  casing  was  given  an  overhang  of  an  inch  or  two 
to  form  the  doorhead.  How  pleasing  this  simple 
device  was,  especially  when  a  rosette  of  stucco  was 
applied  to  each  jog  of  the  casing,  is  well  exemplified 
by  the  doors  on  the  first  floor  at  Whitby  Hall. 
Very  similar  door  trim  without  the  rosette  is  to  be 
seen  at  Cliveden  and  in  numerous  other  houses. 

At  Mount  Pleasant,  and  in  several  of  the  more 
pretentious  old  Colonial  mansions  of  Philadelphia, 
this  type  of  door  trim  was  elaborated  by  a  sur- 
mounting frieze  and  heavy  pediment  above  the 
architrave  casing.  The  first  floor  hall  at  Mount 
Pleasant  presents  the  interesting  combination  of  a 
pulvinated  Ionic  pediment  with  a  mutulary  Doric 
cornice  and  frieze  about  the  ceiling.  Here  one 
notices  the  flat  dado  and  doors  with  raised  and 
molded  panels  as  contrasted  with  the  paneled 
wainscot  and  bolection-molded,  flat-paneled  doors 
of  the  second-story  hall.  In  this  latter,  also,  some 
of  the  pediments  are  complete,  others  broken,  illus- 

[191] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

trating  another  whim  of  the  early  American  builders. 
Here  the  cornice  is  also  Ionic  with  jig-sawed  modil- 
lions,  and  the  ensemble  is  generally  more  pleasing. 
In  proportion  and  precision  of  workmanship  this 
woodwork  is  hardly  excelled  in  Philadelphia.  The 
simple,  carefully  wrought  dentil  course  of  the  door- 
heads  lends  a  refining  influence  and  pleasing  sense 
of  scale  that  seems  to  lighten  the  design  very  ma- 
terially. 

Philadelphia  has  no  handsomer  example  of  the 
enriched  pedimental  doorhead  than  the  interior 
treatment  of  the  entrance  doorway  of  the  Blackwell 
house,  Number  224  Pine  Street.  Above  the  hori- 
zontal overhang  of  the  architrave  casing  across 
the  lintel  two  beautifully  carved  consoles,  the  width 
of  the  frieze  in  height,  support  a  cornice  which  is 
the  base  of  a  broken  pediment.  The  familiar 
Grecian  band  or  double  denticulated  molding  in 
the  string  course  gives  character  to  the  cornice, 
while  an  attractive  leaf  decoration  in  applied  com- 
position adorns  the  recessed  frieze  panel.  Pro- 
jections of  the  cornice  above  the  consoles  lend  an 
added  touch  of  refinement.  This  elaboration  of 
the  white  wood  trim  is  further  emphasized  by  the 
dark  red-brown  painting  of  the  door  to  simulate 
old  mahogany,  which  became  a  frequent  feature  of 
the  houses  of  this  period. 

Round-headed  doorways  here  and  there,  not  only 
at  the  front  entrance,  but  elsewhere,  as  in  the  hall 

[192] 


Interior    Wood  Finish 

at  Hope  Lodge,  provided  a  welcome  variation  from 
the  customary  square-headed  types  and  have  been 
a  pleasing  feature  of  Colonial  interiors  since  early 
times.  As  framing  the  glazed  doorways  of  china 
closets  already  referred  to,  they  were  a  charming 
feature  of  the  interior  wood  finish.  At  the  front 
entrance  the  round-headed  doorway  was  utilized  to 
provide  an  ornamental  yet  practical  fanlight  tran- 
som over  the  door  which  admitted  considerable  light 
to  brighten  the  hall.  As  contrasted  with  this  more 
graceful  arrangement,  the  broad  front  entrance  to 
Whitby  Hall,  with  its  severely  plain  unmolded  four- 
panel  double  doors  and  wrought-iron  strap  hinges, 
bolts,  latch  and  great  rim  lock,  is  of  quaint  interest. 
The  accompanying  photograph  shows  well  the  dado 
effect  secured  by  a  surbase  and  skirting,  and  one 
notes  with  interest  the  cornice  with  its  prominent 
modillions  and  the  heavy  plinth  blocks  on  which  the 
architrave  casings  of  the  doors  stand. 

Round-headed  windows  were  employed  for  land- 
ing windows  in  stair  halls,  as  at  Whitby  Hall,  and 
in  the  central  part  of  the  Palladian  windows  over 
entrances,  as  at  Mount  Pleasant,  where  they  became 
decorative  interior  features  of  the  front  end  of  the 
second-floor  halls. 

Elliptical-headed  openings  are  rare  in  Phila- 
delphia, and  in  most  instances  were  arches  across 
the  main  hall,  as  at  Hope  Lodge.  Sometimes  they 
framed  the  staircase  vista  at  the  head  or  foot  of 

[  193  1 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

the  flight,  where  they  became  one  of  the  most 
charming  features  of  the  best  Colonial  interiors. 

The  illustrations  of  interiors  at  Stenton  accom- 
panying this  chapter,  serve,  as  might  many  others, 
to  show  that  white-painted  interior  woodwork, 
although  one  of  the  greatest  charms  of  the  Colonial 
house,  finds  its  principal  mission  in  providing  the 
only  architectural  background  that  sets  off  satis- 
factorily the  warmth  of  color  and  grace  of  line 
possessed  by  eighteenth-century  furniture  in  ma- 
hogany and  other  dark  woods.  Bright  and  cheer- 
ful, chaste  and  beautiful,  it  emphasizes  the  beauties 
of  everything  before  it,  yet  seldom  forces  itself  into 
undue  prominence.  It  is  a  scheme  of  interior 
treatment  which  has  stood  the  test  of  time  and 
indicates  what  excellent  taste  the  Colonial  builders 
manifested  in  resorting  to  its  subtle  influence  to 
display  their  rare  pieces  of  furniture  brought  from 
England  and  the  Continent. 

The  admirable  work  of  Philadelphia  joiners  indi- 
cates conclusively  the  many  possibilities  of  white- 
painted  soft  woods.  Unlike  hardwood  finish,  the 
natural  grain  of  the  wood  is  concealed  by  painting, 
so  that  broad  flat  surfaces  and  simple  moldings 
would  be  monotonous.  Beauty  of  form  is  there- 
fore substituted  for  the  beauty  of  wood  grain. 
Classic  motives  and  detail  are  brought  to  bear  upon 
the  interior  woodwork  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
delight  the  eye,  yet  not  to  detract  unduly  from  the 

[  194] 


Interior    Wood  Finish 

furnishings  of  the  room.  And  the  charm  of  much 
of  the  resulting  woodwork  indicates  an  early  reali- 
zation by  American  craftsmen  of  the  fact  that  a 
nice  balance  between  plain  surface  and  decoration  is 
as  important  as  the  decoration  itself.  It  was  by 
their  facility  in  the  design  and  execution  of  this 
woodwork  that  skilled  wood-carvers  were  able  to 
impart  that  lightness,  grace  and  ingenuity  of  adap- 
tation to  which  the  Colonial  style  chiefly  owes  its 
charm. 


[195] 


CHAPTER  XII 
PUBLIC  BUILDINGS 

A  S  in  its  domestic  architecture  of  Colonial  times, 
y*\  Philadelphia  is  so  rich  in  its  fine  old  public 
buildings  that  a  readable  and  instructive  book 
could  be  made  about  them  alone.  Intended  for  reli- 
gious, political  and  commercial  purposes,  erected  from 
one  to  two  centuries  ago  and  ranging  from  the  frugal 
simplicity  of  the  Mennonite  Meeting  House  in 
Germantown  to  the  stately  beauty  of  Independence 
Hall,  these  noble  edifices  of  bygone  days  were  the 
scenes  of  momentous  events  in  the  most  glorious 
and  troublous  period  of  the  world's  first  republic. 
Their  histories  are  inspiring  and  likewise  their 
architecture.  Exigencies  of  space  in  a  book  of 
this  sort  render  it  impossible  to  include  all  worthy 
examples,  but  an  effort  has  been  made  to  present  a 
representative  collection  that  does  justice  to  the 
annals  and  building  genius  of  this  remarkable  city. 

Probably  the  most  famous  historical  monument  in 
the  United  States  is  Independence  Hall,  on  Chest- 
nut Street  between  Fifth  and  Sixth  streets.  Here 
the   American    nation    really   came   into   being   and 

[196] 


Public   Buildi 


ngs 


began  to  function,  and  here  come  thousands  of 
visitors  annually  to  view  in  awed  admiration  the 
greatest  patriotic  shrine  of  a  free  people.  The 
building,  designed  by  Andrew  Hamilton,  speaker 
of  the  Assembly,  and  built  under  his  direction  for 
the  State  House,  was  used  for  that  purpose  until 
1799.  The  foundations  were  laid  in  173 1,  and  the 
main  building  was  ready  for  occupancy  in  1735, 
although  the  wings  and  steeple  were  not  completed 
until  1 75 1.  The  steeple  was  taken  down  in  1781, 
but  was  restored  to  its  original  condition  by  William 
Strickland  in  1828,  and  further  restorations  of  the 
building  to  its  original  condition  were  effected  later 
by  the  city  government.  The  east,  or  "Declara- 
tion" chamber,  still  appears  substantially  as  it  did 
when  that  famous  document  was  signed,  but  the 
restoration  of  certain  other  rooms  has  been  less 
satisfactory.  The  building  has  been  set  apart  by 
the  city,  which  purchased  it  from  the  State  in  1816, 
as  a  museum  of  historical  relics,  and  during  the 
past  century  has  been  used  by  various  public  offices 
and  societies. 

Many  famous  buildings  of  Colonial  times  were 
the  work  of  amateur  architects,  but  this  is  without 
exception  the  finest  contemporary  administrative 
building  in  America ;  a  noble  building  rich  in  glorious 
memories ;  nobler  even  than  the  Bulfinch  State 
House  at  Boston  or  the  Maryland  State  House  at 
Annapolis.     It  is  an  enduring  monument  to   Ham- 

[  197] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

ikon's  versatility,  showing  that  with  his  genius  he 
might  have  won  distinction  as  an  architect  no  less 
than  as  a  barrister.  His  sense  of  design,  mass  and 
proportion,  his  appreciation  of  the  relative  value 
and  most  effective  uses  of  classic  detail  and  his 
ability  to  harmonize  the  exigencies  of  the  floor  plan 
with  attractive  appearance  were  second  to  those 
of  no  professional  architect  of  his  time. 

Independence  Hall  is  a  stately  structure  of  ex- 
ceptionally well-balanced  symmetrical  arrangement, 
beautiful  alike  in  its  general  mass  and  minutest 
details,  and  presenting  a  delightful  appearance  from 
whatever  viewpoint  it  is  seen,  —  dignified,  spacious 
and  picturesque,  a  building  that  seems  to  typify 
the  serenity  of  mind  and  steadfastness  of  purpose  of 
those  sturdy  patriots  who  made  it  famous. 

The  structure  comprises  three  parts ;  a  large 
central  building  with  hip-roofed  wings  for  offices 
connected  with  the  main  building  by  open  arcaded 
loggias.  The  present  wings  are  restorations.  Be- 
yond the  wings  are  two  buildings  erected  after  the 
close  of  the  Revolution,  but  forming  part  of  the 
group.  That  at  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Chestnut 
streets  was  erected  as  the  Philadelphia  County 
Court  House,  while  that  at  the  corner  of  Sixth  and 
Chestnut  streets  was  the.  City  Hall. 

The  entire  group  is  of  characteristic  Philadelphia 
brick  construction,  delightfully  mellowed  by  age, 
with   marble   and   white-painted   wood   trim.    The 

[  198  ] 


Public   Buildings 

main  building  is  two  stories  high  with  a  decked 
gable  roof,  heavily  balustraded  between  large,  arched 
quadruple  chimney  stacks  at  each  end,  corners 
heavily  quoined  with  marble  and  ends  without 
fenestration  other  than  a  round  bull's-eye  window 
in  each.  Across  the  one  hundred  and  seven  feet  of 
the  Chestnut  Street  facade  there  is  a  range  of  nine 
broad,  high,  twenty-four-paned  windows  with  flat 
gauged  brick  arches  and  high  marble  keystones, 
the  central  window  being  replaced  by  a  simple,  very 
high  and  deeply  recessed  doorway  with  a  broad  stone 
stoop  before  it.  Tying  into  the  keystones  is  a 
horizontal  belt  of  marble  across  the  entire  front.  A 
similar  belt  is  located  immediately  beneath  the 
window  sills  of  the  second  story,  and  between  the  two 
belts  and  ranging  with  the  windows  are  nine  oblong 
marble  panels  set  into  the  brickwork. 

On  the  Independence  Square  facade  everything 
is  subordinated  to  the  great  square  steeple-like 
clock  tower,  centrally  located,  which  stands  its  en- 
tire height  outside  but  adjoining  the  walls  of  the 
main  building.  In  construction  the  lower  two 
stories  of  the  tower  correspond  to  those  of  the  build- 
ing itself,  and  the  cornice  of  the  latter  is  effectively 
carried  around  the  tower.  Above,  the  tower  rises 
two  more  stories  of  brick  with  pedimented  and 
pilastered  walls  in  the  Ionic  order  and  surmounted 
with  classic  urns  and  flame  motives.  Above  this 
level  the  construction  of  the  clock  tower  is  of  white- 

[  199] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

painted  wood,  one  story  with  Corinthian  pilasters 
and  another  balustraded,  rising  in  four-sided  dim- 
inutions to  the  octagonal,  open  arched  belfry  and 
superstructure,  above  which  is  a  tapering  pinnacle 
and  gilt  weathervane.  It  is  a  tower  of  grace, 
dignity  and  repose,  a  tower  suggestive  of  ecclesias- 
tical work,  perhaps,  yet  withal  in  complete  harmony 
with  its  situation  and  purpose.  In  the  base  of 
this  tower  is  the  main  entrance,  a  simple  and  dig- 
nified pillared  doorway  in  the  mutulary  Doric 
order  with  double  four-panel  doors,  and  a  magnifi- 
cent Palladian  window  in  the  Ionic  order  above,  to 
which  reference  was  made  in  a  previous  chapter. 
Thus  three  distinct  orders  of  architecture  are  used  in 
this  tower  alone,  presenting  another  instance  of  the 
great  freedom  with  which  early  American  archi- 
tects utilized  their  favorite  motives. 

Entering  this  doorway  one  comes  into  a  great, 
square,  lofty,  brick-paved  hall  in  the  base  of  the 
tower  where  now  reposes  the  Liberty  Bell  at  the 
foot  of  what  has  often  been  called  the  finest  stair- 
case in  America.  And  where,  indeed,  is  to  be  found 
a  more  splendid  combination  of  nicely  worked 
white  wood  trim  with  touches  of  mahogany  and 
dark  green  stairs  ?  Done  in  the  Ionic  order,  with  a 
heavy  cornice  having  carved  modillions  and  a 
prominent  dentil  course,  deeply  embrasured  windows 
with  paneled  jambs  and  broad  sills  supported  by 
beautifully    hand-tooled    consoles,    and     a     nicely 

[  200  ] 


Public   Buildings 

spaced  paneled  wainscot,  this  entrance  is  a  fitting 
frame  for  the  broad  winding  staircase.  Rising 
ramp  after  ramp  by  broad  treads  and  low  risers, 
it  leads  first  to  a  broad  landing  in  front  lighted 
by  the  Palladian  window  over  the  entrance,  and 
thence  upward  and  around  to  a  gallery  across  the 
opposite  wall,  where  a  broad  double  doorway  with 
delightful  fanlight  above  leads  into  the  main  hall 
of  the  second  floor.  To  the  right  a  narrow  stair- 
case rises  to  the  belfry.  The  classic  balustrade, 
with  its  mahogany-capped  rail  and  simple  landing 
newels  is  heavy  but  well  proportioned ;  the  paneled 
wainscot  along  the  wall  follows  the  contour  of  the 
ramped  rail  opposite,  and  the  under  side  of  the 
landings,  gallery  and  upper  runs  are  nicely  paneled. 
Elaborately  carved  scroll  brackets  adorn  the  stair 
ends,  and  a  harmonious  floreated  volute  spiral  band 
runs  along  the  edge  of  the  gallery ;  while  the  pilaster 
casings  of  the  upper  doorway  and  of  the  Palladian 
window  are  enriched  with  straight  hanging  gar- 
lands. At  the  foot  of  the  staircase  the  newel  treat- 
ment takes  the  scroll  form  of  the  Ionic  volute,  the 
rail  and  balusters  on  the  circular  end  of  the  broad 
lower  step  winding  around  a  central  column  like 
the  landing  newels. 

Hanging  from  its  original  beam,  but  within  an 
ornamental  frame  erected  in  the  center  of  this 
staircase  hall,  is  the  best-known  relic  of  the  build- 
ing,  the  famous   Liberty   Bell,   which   is   supposed, 

[  201  ] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

without  adequate  evidence,  to  have  been  the  first 
bell  to  announce  the  adoption  of  the  Declaration  of 
Independence.  It  was  cast  in  England  early  in 
1752  and  bears  the  following  inscription:  "By- 
order  of  the  Assembly  of  the  Province  of  Penn- 
sylvania for  the  State  House  in  Philadelphia,  1752", 
and  underneath  :  "  Proclaim  Liberty  throughout  all 
the  land  unto  all  the  inhabitants  thereof,  Lev.  XXV, 
V,  X."  In  August,  1752,  the  bell  was  received  in 
Philadelphia,  but  was  cracked  by  a  stroke  of  the 
clapper  the  following  month.  It  was  recast,  but  the 
work  being  unsatisfactory,  it  was  again  recast  with 
more  copper,  in  Philadelphia  during  May,  1753, 
and  in  June  was  hung  in  the  State  House  steeple, 
where  it  remained  until  taken  to  Allentown,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  1777,  to  prevent  it  from  falling  into 
the  hands  of  the  British.  In  1781  the  bell  was 
lowered  and  the  steeple  removed.  In  1828  a  new 
steeple  was  erected,  and  a  new  bell  put  in  place, 
the  Liberty  Bell  being  given  a  place  in  an  upper 
story  of  the  tower  to  be  rung  only  on  occasions  of 
great  importance.  On  July  8,  1835,  it  suddenly 
cracked  again  while  being  tolled  in  memory  of 
Chief  Justice  John  Marshall,  and  on  February  22, 
1843,  this  crack  was  so  increased  as  nearly  to  destroy 
its  sound.  In  1864  it  was  placed  in  the  east  or 
Declaration  room,  but  in  1876,  the  Centennial  year, 
it  was  again  hung  in  the  tower  by  a  chain  of  thirteen 
links.     From   the   time   of   its    second    recasting   in 

[  202  ] 


Public  Buildings 

1753,  until  it  lost  its  sound  in  1843,  the  Liberty- 
Bell  was  sounded  on  all  important  occasions,  both 
grave  and  gay.  It  convened  town  meetings  and 
the  Assembly,  proclaimed  the  national  anniversary, 
ushered  in  the  new  year,  welcomed  distinguished 
men,  tolled  for  the  honored  dead,  and  on  several 
occasions  was  muffled  and  tolled  as  an  expression 
of  public  disapproval  of  various  acts  of  British 
tyranny. 

Passing  through  a  high,  round-headed  arch  with 
paneled  jambs  and  soffit  one  enters  the  central  hall, 
a  magnificent  apartment  in  the  mutulary  Doric 
order,  extending  through  the  building  to  the  Chest- 
nut Street  entrance.  Fluted  columns  standing  on  a 
high,  broad  pedestal  which  runs  about  the  walls 
like  a  wainscot,  support  a  heavy  complete  entabla- 
ture enriched  with  beautifully  hand-carved  mold- 
ings, notably  an  egg  and  dart  ovolo  between  cor- 
nice and  frieze  and  foliated  moldings  about  the 
mutules  and  the  panels  of  the  soffit  and  metopes. 
It  is  a  hall  of  charming  vistas  in  a  noble  archi- 
tectural frame, — straight  ahead  to  the  Chestnut 
Street  entrance;  back  through  the  great  single 
arch  to  the  staircase ;  to  the  left  through  an  arcade 
of  three  pilastered  arches  into  the  west  or  Supreme 
Court  chamber ;  to  the  right  through  a  broad,  double 
doorway  into  the  east  or  "Declaration"  room,  the 
original  Assembly  chamber. 

The  treatment  of  the  latter  wall  of  the  hall  is  most 

[203  ] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

elaborate.  Three  cased  arches  correspond  to  the 
open  arches  opposite.  On  the  wall  within  the  two 
end  ones  are  handsome,  pedimental-topped,  inscribed 
tablets,  while  in  the  middle  one  is  located  the 
doorway  with  an  ornate,  broken,  pedimental  door- 
head  taking  the  form  of  a  swag. 

Like  the  hall,  the  Supreme  Court  chamber  is 
Doric  with  fluted  pilasters  instead  of  engaged 
columns,  and  walls  entirely  paneled  up.  There 
are  three  windows  at  each  end  and  two  back  of  the 
judge's  bench  with  its  paneled  platform  and  rail, 
and  balustraded  staircases  at  each  end.  In  this 
room  the  convention  to  form  a  new  constitution 
for  Pennsylvania  met  July  15,  1776,  and  unani- 
mously approved  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
and  pledged  the  support  of  the  State.  Delegates  to 
Congress  were  elected  who  were  signers  of  the 
Declaration.  In  this  room  now  stands  the  statue 
of  Washington  carved  out  of  a  single  block  of  wood 
by  Colonel  William  Rush,  after  Stuart. 

Across  the  hall  is  the  Declaration  chamber,  forty 
feet  and  two  inches  long,  thirty-nine  feet  and  six 
inches  wide  and  nineteen  feet  and  eight  inches  high. 
As  in  size,  its  architecture  is  substantially  the  same 
as  the  chamber  opposite,  and  like  it  the  two  corners 
near  the  hall  are  rounding.  Also  it  is  of  spacious 
appearance,  light,  beautiful  and  cheerful,  a  room 
to  inspire  noble  deeds.  Instead  of  the  high  judge's 
bench  at  the  side  opposite  the  entrance,  there  is  a 

[  204] 


Public  Buildings 

relatively  small  platform  or  dais  of  two  steps  on 
which  stands  the  presiding  officer's  desk  in  front 
of  a  large,  elaborate,  pedimental-topped  frame  with 
exquisitely  enriched  carved  moldings,  within  which 
is  a  smaller  frame  containing  a  facsimile  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence.  To  either  side,  be- 
tween fluted  pilasters,  are  segmental  arched  fire- 
places with  heavy  mantel  shelves  above,  supported 
by  carved  consoles,  while  beyond  these  are  single 
doors  with  pedimental  heads.  Otherwise  the  room 
is  substantially  like  that  across  the  hall.  They  are 
regarded  as  the  best  of  the  restored  rooms  of  the 
building,  and  of  the  two  the  courtroom  is  perhaps 
rather  the  better  in  its   greater  simplicity. 

In  the  east  or  so-called  Declaration  chamber, 
the  second  Continental  Congress  met  May  10, 
1775  ;  George  Washington  was  chosen  commander 
in  chief  of  the  Continental  Army  June  15,  1775; 
and  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was  adopted 
July  4,  1776.  The  American  officers  taken  pris- 
oners at  the  Battle  of  Brandywine,  September  n, 
and  of  Germantown,  October  4,  1777,  were  held 
here  as  prisoners  of  war,  and  on  July  9,  1778,  the 
Articles  of  Confederation  and  perpetual  union  be- 
tween the  States  were  signed  here  by  representa- 
tives of  eight  States.  The  room  contains  much 
of  the  furniture  of  those  days.  The  table  and 
high-backed  Chippendale  chair  of  mahogany  used 
by  the  presidents  of  the  Continental  Congress  and 

[205] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

occupied  by  John  Hancock  at  the  signing  still 
remain,  and  on  the  table  is  to  be  seen  the  silver  ink- 
stand with  its  quill  box  and  sand  shaker,  in  which 
the  delegates  dipped  their  pens  in  autographing  the 
famous  document.  There  are  also  fourteen  of  the 
original  chairs  used  by  delegates.  On  the  walls 
hang  portraits  of  forty-five  of  the  fifty-six  signers, 
also  a  portrait  of  Washington  by  Rembrandt  Peale. 

In  fact,  the  collection  of  portraits  is  largely  based 
on  canvases  secured  from  the  famous  Peale  Museum 
which  at  one  time  occupied  the  upper  floors  of  the 
building.  There  are  also  valuable  paintings  by 
Benjamin  West,  Gilbert  Stuart,  Edgar  Pine,  Thomas 
Sully  and  Allan  Ramsay.  The  bronze  statue  of 
Washington  standing  in  front  of  Independence 
Hall  on  Chestnut  Street  is  a  replica  of  the  original 
one  in  white  marble  by  Bailey,  which  was  removed 
on  account  of  its  disintegration.  Forty-five  crayons 
and  pastels  by  John  Sharpless,  purchased  by  the 
city  in  1876,  form  a  notable  collection  estimated 
to  be  worth  half  a  million  dollars.  What  is  supposed 
to  be  the  earliest  exhibition  of  paintings  ever  held 
in  America  was  that  of  Robert  Edge  Pine,  which 
occurred  in  Independence  Hall  in   1784. 

On  the  second  floor  the  principal  room  is  a  great 
banqueting  hall  extending  across  the  entire  build- 
ing on  the  Chestnut  Street  side  with  its  range  of  nine 
windows  and  having  a  fireplace  at  each  end.  There 
are  smaller  rooms  on  each  side  of  the  broad  entrance 

[206] 


Plate  LXXXVIII.  —  Main  Hall  and  Double  Staircase,  Pennsylvania 

Hospital. 


Plate  LXXXIX.  —  Custom  House,  Fifth  and  Chestnut  Streets. 

Completed  in  1824;  Main  Building,  Girard  College. 

Begun  in  1833. 


Public  Buildings 

corridor;  its  wide,  flat  arch  has  four  fluted  columns 
supporting  a  heavy  pedimental  head  with  elliptical 
fanlight.  Architecturally  the  restoration  of  the 
second  floor  is  less  happy  than  that  of  the  first. 
It  is  not  in  the  spirit  of  the  work  below;  nor 
does  it  accord  with  typical  Colonial  work  of  pre- 
Revolutionary  days.  It  lacks  that  simple,  straight- 
forward dignity  of  design ;  that  fine  sense  of  pro- 
portion ;  that  refinement  and  appropriateness  of 
detail.  The  spacing  of  the  paneling  of  both  the 
wainscot  and  the  fireplace  mantels  is  not  charac- 
teristic; the  detail  of  the  latter  is  poorly  chosen 
and  assembled,  and  the  whole  aspect,  especially 
the  entrance  arch,  suggests  a  studied  effort  to 
achieve  picturesque  effect. 

On  the  northwest  corner  of  Independence  Square, 
which  is  the  southeast  corner  of  Sixth  and  Chestnut 
streets,  is  old  Congress  Hall,  erected  in  1787,  in 
which  Congress  sat  from  1790  to  1800,  and  in  which 
Washington  was  inaugurated  in  1793  for  a  second 
term  with  Adams  as  vice-president,  and  in  which 
Adams,  in  1797,  was  inaugurated  president  with 
Jefferson  as  vice-president. 

Here  Washington  presented  his  famous  message 
concerning  Jay's  treaty  with  England ;  here,  toward 
the  close  of  his  second  administration,  he  pro- 
nounced his  farewell  address,  which  is  still  regarded 
as  a  model  of  dignity  and  farsightedness.  Here, 
too,  was  officially  announced   the   death   of  Wash- 

[207] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

ington,  when  John  Marshall  offered  a  resolution 
that  a  joint  committee  of  the  House  and  Senate 
consider  "the  most  suitable  manner  of  paying 
honor  to  the  memory  of  the  man  first  in  war,  first 
in  peace  and  first  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen", 
thus  originating  a  phrase  never  to  be  forgotten  in 
America.  For  some  years  after  1800  the  building 
was  occupied  by  the  criminal  courts,  now  located  in 
the  City  Hall. 

Were  it  not  so  near  the  more  pretentious  Inde- 
pendence Hall,  this  demure  little  building  would 
receive  much  more  attention,  for  it  is  architec- 
turally a  gem  of  the  Colonial  period,  and  such  of 
its  interior  woodwork  as  has  been  restored  has  been 
more  happily  treated  than  is  often  the  case.  It 
is  an  oblong  structure  of  brick,  with  marble  and 
white  wood  trim,  two  stories  high,  hip-roofed  and 
surmounted  in  the  center  by  a  well-proportioned, 
octagonal  open  cupola.  On  the  front  a  pediment 
springs  from  the  cornice  over  a  slightly  projecting 
central  section  of  the  facade,  while  a  three-sided 
bay  breaks  the  rear  wall  and  enlarges  the  building. 
The  stoop  and  doorway  are  of  simple  dignity,  the 
double  doors  having  the  appearance  of  being  four 
separate,  very  narrow  four-panel  doors,  and  the 
graceful  fanlight  above  being  in  accord  with  the 
round-headed  windows  of  the  lower  story.  These 
windows  are  set  effectively  in  brick  arches  with 
marble  sills,  keystones  and  imposts.     On  the  upper 

[208] 


Public   Buildings 

story  the  windows  are  twenty-four-paned  and 
square-headed  with  gauged  brick  arches  and  marble 
keystones.  Under  the  central  front  window  over 
the  entrance  there  is  a  handsome  wrought-iron  fire 
balcony.  The  best  exterior  feature  of  the  building 
is  the  beautifully  hand-tooled  cornice  with  its 
coved  member  having  a  series  of  recessed  arches 
and  the  well-known  Grecian  band  or  double  den- 
ticulated molding  beneath.  At  the  second-floor 
level  a  white  marble  belt  accords  well  with  the 
general  scheme. 

No  less  interesting  than  the  outward  appearance 
of  the  entrance  is  its  inward  aspect,  with  its  deeply 
paneled  embrasures  and  soffit,  its  quaint  strap  hinges 
and  rim  lock.  The  arrangement  of  the  double 
staircases  with  a  halfway  landing  in  this  lofty,  airy 
stair  hall  compels  admiration  for  effective  sim- 
plicity. The  stair  ends  are  unadorned,  but  the 
spaces  under  the  lower  run  of  both  flights  are  nicely 
paneled  up.  The  balusters  are  of  good,  though 
familiar  pattern,  and  the  lines  of  the  dark  ramped 
rail  gracefully  drawn. 

Interest  centers  in  the  Senate  chamber  with  its 
barrel  ceiling  and  panel-fronted  galleries  along  both 
sides  supported  by  slender  round  columns.  Here 
momentous  business  was  transacted  during  the 
early  years  of  the  American  nation,  and  many  relics 
of  those  troublous  times  are  here  preserved.  In  the 
bay  at  the  rear  end  the  Presidents  dais  has  been 

[  209  ] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

restored  from  remains  found  beneath  an  old  plat- 
form. It  is  of  graceful  design  with  free-flowing 
curves  and  an  elliptical  swell  front  where  the  bal- 
ustrade has  a  solid  three-panel  insert.  The  turned 
balusters  are  of  slender  grace,  while  the  paneled 
pilasters  or  newels  at  the  ends  and  corners  are 
adorned  with  straight  hanging  garlands  in  applied 
work.  There  is  also  a  festooned  border  in  applied 
work  above  the  opening  into  the  bay  that  is  carried 
about  the  room  above  the  galleries.  The  central 
decoration  of  the  ceiling  and  the  eagle  over  the 
President's  dais  furnish  excellent  examples  of  eight- 
eenth-century frescoes. 

A  short  distance  east  of  Independence  Square, 
in  a  narrow  court  off  Chestnut  Street,  between 
South  Third  and  South  Fourth  streets,  hedged 
about  by  high  modern  office  buildings  that  dwarf 
its  size,  is  Carpenters'  Hall,  in  which  the  first  Con- 
tinental Congress  assembled,  September  5,  1774, 
and  in  which  the  National  Convention,  in  1787, 
framed  the  present  Constitution  of  the  United 
States.  The  building  was  also  the  headquarters 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Committee  of  Correspondence ; 
the  basement  was  used  as  a  magazine  for  ammu- 
nition during  the  Revolution,  and  from  1791  to 
1797  the  whole  of  it  was  occupied  by  the  first  United 
States  Bank. 

The  Carpenters'  Company,  established  in  1724, 
was   patterned   after  the  Worshipful   Company  of 

[210] 


Public   Buildings 

Carpenters  of  London,  which  dates  back  to  1477, 
and  the  early  organization  of  such  a  guild  in  America 
indicates  the  large  number  and  high  character  of  the 
Colonial  builders  of  Philadelphia  and  explains  the 
excellence  of  the  architecture  in  this  neighborhood. 
The  present  building  was  begun  in  1770,  but  was 
not  completed  until  1792,  so  that  throughout  the 
Revolutionary  period  it  was  used  in  a  partly  finished 
condition.  Since  1857  it  has  been  preserved  wholly 
for  its  historic  associations.  Here  was  conceived 
that  liberty  which  had  its  birth  in  Independence 
Hall,  so  that  its  claim  to  fame  is  second  only  to  the 
latter.  Like  it,  too,  there  are  many  interesting 
relics  of  those  glorious  days  to  be  seen  within.  An 
inscription  on  a  tablet  outside  very  properly  reads, 
"  Within  these  walls,  Henry,  Hancock,  and  Adams 
inspired  the  delegates  of  the  Colonies  with  nerve 
and  sinew  for  the  toils  of  war." 

The  building  is  in  the  form  of  a  Greek  cross  with 
four  projecting  gable  ends  and  an  octagonal  cupola  of 
graceful  design  and  proportions  at  the  center  of  the 
roof.  It  is  of  characteristic  Philadelphia  brickwork, 
with  handsomely  cased  twenty-four-paned  windows 
shuttered  on  the  lower  floor.  The  entrance  facade, 
with  its  broad,  high  stoop  and  pedimental  doorway, 
double  doors  and  fanlight  above;  its  pleasing  fen- 
estration, especially  the  round-headed,  Palladian 
windows  of  the  second  floor,  above  balustrade  sec- 
tions resting  on  a  horizontal  belt  of  white  at  the 

[211] 


The   Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

second-floor  level,  and  its  pediment  with  a  hand- 
some hand-tooled  cornice  in  which  an  always  pleas- 
ing Grecian  band  is  prominent,  does  credit  to  its 
design,  and  altogether  the  structure  was  worthy 
of  its  purpose. 

Within,  the  meeting  room  is  of  surprisingly 
generous  size,  considering  the  small  impression 
given  by  the  exterior  aspect  of  the  building.  The 
restored  woodwork  is  unfortunate,  yet  the  general 
effect  of  bygone  years  remains. 

For  two  centuries  Philadelphia  has  been  justly 
famous  for  its  public  markets,  numerous  and  readily 
accessible  to  the  entire  community.  Marketing 
has  ever  been  one  of  the  duties  of  the  thrifty  house- 
wife, to  which  Philadelphia  women  have  given 
particular  attention,  and  everything  possible  has 
been  done  to  make  the  task  easy  and  satisfactory 
to  them.  When  the  city  was  first  laid  out  its  few 
wide  streets,  with  the  exception  of  Broad  Street, 
were  laid  out  for  the  convenience  of  markets,  which 
in  those  days  were  placed  in  their  center.  A  few  of 
these  old-time  markets  still  remain,  notably  that 
at  Second  and  Pine  streets,  its  market  house  or 
central  building  of  quaintly  interesting  design  em- 
bracing features  such  as  the  octagonal  cupola,  marble 
lintels,  sills  and  belt,  and  the  elliptical  and  semi- 
circular fanlights  which  are  typically  Colonial. 

To  Benjamin  Franklin,  Philadelphia  is  largely 
indebted  for  the  Pennsylvania  Hospital  fronting  on 

[212] 


Public  Buildings 

Pine  Street  between  South  Eighth  and  South  Ninth 
streets,  the  first  hospital  in  the  United  States,  which 
was  projected  in  1751,  erected  in  1755  and  still 
continues  to  be  the  foremost  of  some  one  hundred 
institutions  in  the  city.  The  main  building  was 
designed  by  Samuel  Rhodes,  mayor  of  Philadelphia, 
and  in  architectural  excellence  is  regarded  as  second 
only  to  Independence  Hall. 

Individuals  gave  funds  freely  for  its  erection ; 
the  British  Parliament  turned  over  to  it  some  funds 
unclaimed  by  a  land  company;  Bishop  Whitefield 
gave  a  considerable  sum ;  Benjamin  West  painted 
a  replica  of  his  famous  work,  "Christ  Healing  the 
Sick",  now  in  the  entrance  hall,  which  was  exhibited 
and  earned  four  thousand  pounds  sterling  in  admis- 
sions; some  players  gave  "Hamlet"  for  the  benefit 
of  the  hospital,  and  money  was  raised  in  numerous 
other  ways. 

The  building  is  a  large  and  beautiful  one  of  noble 
appearance,  three  stories  high,  having  long,  bal- 
anced wings  two  and  a  half  stories  high,  with  dor- 
mers and  an  octagon  tower  over  the  cross  wings 
at  each  end.  The  total  frontage  is  some  two  hundred 
and  seventy-five  feet.  It  is  of  reddish-brown  brick, 
faced  ou  the  front  of  the  first  story  of  the  main 
building  with  gray  marble,  and  pierced  by  two  large 
round-topped  windows  each  side  of  a  central  door- 
way with  a  balustraded  stoop  and  handsome  semi- 
circular fanlight  and   side  lights.      Above,  six  Co- 

[213  1 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

rinthian  pilasters  support  a  beautifully  detailed 
entablature'  at  the  eaves,  from  which  springs  a 
pediment  with  ornamental  oval  window.  Surmount- 
ing the  hip  roof  is  a  square  superstructure  of  wood, 
paneled  and  painted  white,  above  which  is  a  low 
octagonal  belvedere  platform  with  a  huge,  round 
balustrade.  Brick  walls  and  an  ornamental  wis- 
taria-clad iron  fence  surround  the  grounds,  and 
no  visitor  has  entered  the  central  gate  since  La 
Fayette. 

Within  the  building  there  is  much  splendid 
interior  wood  finish.  Its  best  feature,  however,  is 
the  high,  broad  hall,  with  fluted  Ionic  columns 
supporting  a  mutulary  Doric  entablature,  leading 
back  to  a  double  winding  staircase,  which  is  a 
marvelous  work  of  art,  combining  the  simplicity 
and  purity  as  well  as  the  beauty  of  the  middle 
Georgian  period.  There  are  two  landings  on  each 
flight,  and  from  the  spiral  newels  at  the  bottom 
the  balustrades  with  ramped  rails  and  heavy,  turned 
balusters  swing  upward,  as  do  the  staircases,  to 
the  third  floor.  One  notes  with  interest  the  un- 
usual outline  of  the  brackets  under  the  overhang  of 
the  stair  treads. 

A  few  important  public  buildings  of  Philadelphia 
that  were  not  erected  until  early  in  the  nineteenth 
century  had  their  inception  directly  or  indirectly 
in  the  outgrowth  of  the  War  of  Independence,  and 
their   omission    would    render    any   treatise   of   the 

[  214] 


Public   Buildings 

public  buildings  of  the  city  noticeably  incomplete. 
Their  inclusion  here  finds  still  further  justification 
in  the  fact  that  they  are  of  classic  architecture 
and  so  to  a  degree  in  accord  with  Colonial  traditions. 

The  Custom  House,  a  classic  stone  structure,  on 
the  south  side  of  Chestnut  Street  between  Fourth 
and  Fifth  streets,  was  built  for  the  second  United 
States  Bank,  authorized  by  Congress  in  April,  1816, 
because  of  the  bad  financial  condition  into  which 
the  government  had  fallen  during  the  War  of  181 2. 
The  building  was  designed  by  William  Strickland, 
in  his  day  the  leading  American  architect,  being 
modeled  after  the  Parthenon  of  Athens.  It  was 
completed  in  1824  and  was  put  to  its  present  use 
in  1845. 

The  main  building  of  Girard  College  on  Girard 
Avenue  between  North  19th  and  North  25th  streets, 
of  which  Thomas  Ustick  Walter,  a  pupil  of  Strick- 
land's, was  the  architect,  is  one  of  the  finest  speci- 
mens of  pure  Greek  architecture  in  America.  In- 
deed, this  imposing  Corinthian  structure  of  stone 
has  been  called  "the  most  perfect  Greek  temple  in 
existence."  Work  upon  it  was  begun  in  1833,  and 
the  college  was  opened  January  1,  1848.  To  a 
sarcophagus  in  this  main  building  were  removed 
the  remains  of  Stephen  Girard  in  1851.  The  build- 
ing is  in  feet  wide  and  169  feet  long,  and  is  sur- 
rounded by  thirty-four  fluted  columns  fifty-six  feet 
high  and  seven  feet  in  diameter  at  the  base,  which 

[215] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

cost  thirteen  thousand  dollars  each.  The  total 
height  of  the  building  is  ninety-seven  feet,  and  it  is 
arched  throughout  with  brick  and  stone,  and  roofed 
with  marble  tiles.  The  weight  of  the  roof  is  esti- 
mated at  nearly  one  thousand  tons. 

The  old  Stock  Exchange  at  Third  and  Walnut 
and  Dock  streets,  facing  a  broad  open  space  once 
an  old-time  market,  is  also  the  work  of  William 
Strickland,  who  likewise  designed  St.  Paul's  Church, 
St.  Stephen's  Church,  the  almshouse  and  the  United 
States  Naval  Asylum.  It  is  an  impressive  round- 
fronted  classic  structure  of  gray  stone  in  the  Corin- 
thian order,  with  a  semicircular  colonnade  above 
the  first  story  supporting  a  handsomely  executed 
entablature  with  conspicuous  antefixes  about  the 
cornice.  Instead  of  a  central  flight  of  steps  leading 
to  a  main  entrance,  there  were  two  well-designed 
flights  at  each  side.  Surmounting  the  whole  is  a 
daring,  tall,  round  cupola,  its  roof  supported  by 
engaged  columns  and  the  spaces  between  pierced 
by  classic  grilles.  The  structure  is  notable  through- 
out for  excellence  in  mass  and  detail. 

At  Number  116  South  Third  Street  stands  the 
oldest  banking  building  in  America,  and  withal  one 
of  the  handsomest  of  such  buildings.  Erected  in 
I795  by  the  first  Bank  of  the  United  States,  this 
beautiful  stone  and  brick  structure  in  the  Corin- 
thian order,  with  its  fine  pedimental  portico  bearing 
in  high  relief  a  modification  of  the  seal  of  the  United 

[216] 


Plate  XCIII. —  Interior  and   Chancel,   Christ  Church;    Interior 
and  Lectern,  St.  Peter's  Church. 


Public  Buildings 

States,  was  owned  and  occupied  by  Stephen  Girard 
from  1812  to  1 83 1,  and  since  1832  by  the  Girard 
Bank  and  the  Girard  National  Bank.  It  is  one  of 
those  classic  structures  which  by  reason  of  nicety 
in  proportion  and  precision  in  detail  still  compares 
favorably  with  the  best  modern  buildings  of  the 
city.  The  high,  fluted  columns  and  pilasters  with 
their  nicely  wrought  capitals  lend  an  imposing  no- 
bility that  immediately  arrests  attention,  while  the 
refinement  of  detail  throughout  well  repays  careful 
scrutiny.  In  this  latter  respect  its  best  features 
are  the  cornice  with  its  beautifully  enriched  mold- 
ings and  modillions,  the  balustrade  above,  the 
window  heads  supported  by  hand-tooled  consoles 
and  the  insert  panels  under  the  portico. 

The  first  Bank  of  the  United  States  was  incor- 
porated in  1 791  with  a  capital  of  ten  million  dollars. 
It  was  the  first  national  bank  of  issue  essential  to 
the  system  of  banking  built  up  by  Alexander  Hamil- 
ton in  organizing  the  finances  of  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment under  the  constitution  of  1789.  It  issued 
circulating  notes,  discounted  commercial  paper  and 
aided  the  government  in  its  financial  operations. 
Although  the  government  subscribed  one-fifth  of 
the  capital,  it  was  paid  for  by  a  roundabout  process 
which  actually  resulted  in  the  loan  of  the  amount 
by  the  bank  to  the  treasury.  Other  loans  were 
made  by  the  bank  to  the  government,  until  by  the 
end  of  1795  its  obligations  had  reached  $6,200,000. 

[217] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

In  order  to  meet  these  obligations,  the  government 
gradually  disposed  of  its  bank  stock  and  by  1802 
had  sold  its  entire  holdings  at  a  profit  of  $671,860.  A 
statement  submitted  to  Congress  January  24,  181 1, 
by  Albert  Gallatin,  then  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
showed  resources  of  $24,183,046,  of  which  $14,- 
578,294  was  in  loans  and  discounts,  $2,750,000 
in  United  States  stock  and  $5,009,567  in  specie. 
The   expiration   of   the   charter  of   the   bank,    in 

181 1,  was  the  occasion  for  a  party  contest  which 
prevented  renewal  and  added  greatly  to  the  financial 
difficulties  of  the  government  during  the  War  of 

1 81 2.  Although  foreign  stockholders  were  not  per- 
mitted to  vote  by  proxy,  and  the  twenty-five  direc- 
tors were  required  to  be  citizens  of  the  United  States, 
the  bank  was  attacked  on  the  ground  of  foreign 
ownership,  and  it  was  also  claimed  that  Congress 
had  no  constitutional  power  to  create  such  an 
institution. 

Thereupon  the  bank  building  and  the  cashier's 
house  in  Philadelphia  were  purchased  at  a  third 
of  the  original  cost  by  Girard,  who,  in  May,  181 2, 
established  the  Bank  of  Stephen  Girard  and  there- 
after assisted  the  government  very  materially.  He 
was,  in  fact,  the  financier  of  the  War  of  181 2. 

No  less  interesting  than  the  governmental  and 
commercial  public  buildings  of  Philadelphia  are  its 
churches,  of  which  several  of  noble  architecture 
date  back  to  the  Colonial  period. 

[218] 


Public  Buildings 

On  North  Second  Street,  just  north  of  Market,  is 
located  Christ  Church,  Protestant  Episcopal,  the 
first  diocesan  church  of  Pennsylvania.  It  is  a  fine 
old  building  designed  mainly  by  Doctor  John  Kears- 
ley,  a  vestryman  and  physician.  The  corner  stone 
was  laid  in  1727,  and  the  building  was  completed 
in  1744,  but  the  steeple,  in  part  designed  by  Ben- 
jamin Franklin  and  containing  a  famous  chime  of 
eight  bells,  was  not  erected  until  1754.  Franklin 
was  one  of  the  managers  of  a  lottery  in  1753  for 
raising  funds  for  the  steeple  and  bells,  the  latter 
being  imported  at  a  cost  of  five  hundred  pounds 
sterling.  On  July  4,  1776,  after  the  Declaration 
of  Independence  had  been  read,  these  bells  "rang 
out  a  merry  chime." 

This  imposing  edifice  eloquently  indicates  what 
architectural  triumphs  can  be  achieved  in  brickwork 
in  the  Colonial  style.  Apart  from  the  spire,  interest 
centers  in  the  fenestration,  which  has  already  been 
treated  in  Chapter  VIII,  and  in  the  wood  trim. 
As  in  much  contemporary  architecture,  the  wood- 
work is  conspicuous  for  the  free  use  of  the  orders. 
For  example,  one  immediately  notes  the  mutulary 
Doric  cornice  and  frieze  along  the  sides,  and  the 
pulvinated  Ionic  entablature  across  the  chancel 
gable  above  the  Palladian  window.  The  roof  is 
heavily  balustraded  in  white-painted  wood  with 
the  urns  on  the  several  pedestals  holding  torches 
with  carved  flames.     A  brick  belfry  rises  square  and 

[  219] 


The    Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

sturdy  above  the  roof  and  then  continues  upward 
in  diminishing  construction  of  wood,  first  virtually 
four-sided,  then  octagonal  and  finally  in  a  low, 
tapering  spire  surmounted  by  a  weather-vane.  A 
distinctive  feature  is  the  simple  iron  fence  along 
the  street  with  two  wrought-iron  arched  gates,  as 
beautiful  as  any  in  America,  hung  from  high,  ball- 
topped  stone  posts. 

Imposing  in  its  simplicity,  the  interior  is  generally 
Doric  in  character,  but  the  Ionic  entablatures  over 
the  side  sections  of  the  beautiful  Palladian  chancel 
window  reflect  the  treatment  outside.  Fluted  col- 
umns standing  on  high  pedestals,  with  square,  Doric 
entablature  sections  above,  support  graceful,  ellip- 
tical arches,  which  separate  the  nave  from  the  aisles 
in  which  are  panel-fronted  galleries.  The  organ 
loft  over  the  main  entrance  is  bow-fronted  and 
highly  ornate. 

Certain  alterations  to  the  interior  were  made  in 
1836,  and  in  1882  it  was  restored  to  its  ancient 
character,  but  the  high  old-fashioned  wineglass 
pulpit  of  1770  remains,  as  does  the  font.  A  silver 
bowl,  weighing  more  than  five  pounds,  presented 
in  1712  by  Colonel  Quarry  of  the  British  Army,  is 
still  in  use,  while  a  set  of  communion  plate  pre- 
sented by  Queen  Anne  in  1708  is  brought  forth 
on  special  occasions.  The  brass  chandelier  for 
candles  has  hung  in  its  central  position  since  1749. 
Bishop  White   officiated   as   rector   during   Revolu- 

[  220  ] 


Plate    XCIV.  —  Interior    and    Chancel,   Old    Swedes'    Church 
St.  Paul's  Church,  South  Third  Street  near  Walnut  Street. 


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Plate  XCV.  —  Mennonite  Meeting  House,  Germantown.     Erected 

in  1770;  Holy  Trinity  Church,  South  Twenty-first 

and  Walnut  Streets. 


Public  Buildings 

tionary  days,  and  his  body  lies  under  the  altar. 
Many  well-known  figures  of  American  history  wor- 
shiped here,  both  Washington  and  Franklin  main- 
taining pews  which  are  still  preserved.  That  in 
which  Washington  sat  was  placed  in  Independence 
Hall  in  1836. 

In  the  churchyard  adjoining  are  buried  a  number 
of  noted  patriots,  including  Benjamin  Franklin, 
Robert  Morris,  the  financier  of  the  Revolution, 
James  Wilson,  the  first'  justice  of  the  State  and  a 
signer  of  the  Declaration  and  Constitution,  Brigadier 
General  John  Forbes,  John  Penn,  Peyton  Randolph, 
Francis  Hopkinson,  Doctor  Benjamin  Rush,  Gen- 
erals Lambert,  Cadwalader,  Charles  Lee  and  Jacob 
Morgan  of  the  Continental  Army,  and  Commodores 
Truxton,  Bainbridge  and  Dale  of  the  Navy. 

In  the  southeast  part  of  the  city,  at  Swanson  and 
Christian  streets,  just  east  of  Front  Street,  is  located 
the  ivy-clad  Old  Swedes'  Church,  one  of  the  most 
venerable  buildings  in  America.  It  stands  on  the 
site  of  a  blockhouse  erected  by  the  Swedish  settlers 
in  1677.  The  present  structure  of  brick  was  begun 
in  1698  and  finished  two  years  later.  For  one 
hundred  and  forty-three  years  it  remained  a  wor- 
shiping place  of  the  Swedish  Lutherans,  and  for 
one  hundred  and  thirty  years  it  was  in  charge  of 
ministers  sent  over  from  Sweden.  The  baptismal 
font  is  the  original  one  brought  from  Sweden,  and 
the  communion  service  has  been  in  use  since  1773* 

[221  ] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

In  the  adjoining  churchyard  the  oldest  tombstone 
bearing  a  legible  epitaph  is  dated  1708.  Here 
Alexander  Wilson,  the  celebrated  naturalist,  was 
buried  at  his  own  request,  saying  that  the  "birds 
would  be  apt  to  come  and  sing  over  my  grave.', 

Although  generally  Colonial  in  external  appear- 
ance, and  frankly  so  in  the  detail  of  its  wood  trim, 
the  arrangement  of  the  structure  and  its  propor- 
tions, especially  the  peaked  gable  over  the  entrance 
and  the  small,  low  and  square  wooden  belfry,  give 
it  a  somewhat  foreign  aspect  which  is  by  no  means 
surprising  in  the  circumstances.  Indeed,  it  may 
be  said  to  have  decided  Norse  suggestion.  The 
interior,  with  its  severely  simple  galleries,  straight- 
backed  wooden  pews  and  high  pulpit  under  the 
chancel  window,  has  that  quaintness  to  be  seen  in  the 
earliest  country  churches  of  America.  Two  big- 
eyed,  winged  cherubim  on  the  organ  loft  are  inter- 
esting examples  of  early  Swedish  wood  carving 
probably  taken  from  an  old  Swedish  ship. 

St.  Peter's  at  South  Third  and  Pine  streets,  the 
second  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  city, 
was  an  offshoot  of  Christ  Church,  and  for  many 
years  both  were  under  the  same  rectorship.  Wash- 
ington, during  his  various  sojourns  in  Philadelphia, 
attended  sometimes  one  and  again  the  other,  and 
Pew  Number  41  in  St.  Peter's  is  pointed  out  as  his. 
The  building  was  erected  in  1761  and  still  retains  its 
Colonial  characteristics. 

[  222  ] 


Public   Buildings 

It  is  a  brick  structure  two  and  a  half  stories  in 
height,  having  pedimental  ends  and  corners  quoined 
with  stone.  The  fenestration  with  many  round- 
headed  windows  is  excellent  and  has  already  been 
alluded  to  in  Chapter  VIII.  At  one  end  a  massive, 
square,  vine-clad  belfry  tower  of  brick  rises  to  a 
height  of  six  stories,  above  which  there  is  a  tall, 
slender  wooden  spire  surmounted  by  a  ball  and 
cross. 

Within  are  the  original  square  box  pews  with 
doors,  and  seats  facing  both  ways,  those  of  the 
galleries  being  similarly  arranged.  The  whole  as- 
pect is  one  of  great  plainness  and  simple  dignity, 
yet  withal  pleasing.  A  unique  feature  is  the  loca- 
tion of  the  organ  and  altar  at  the  eastern  end  and 
the  reading  desk  and  lofty  wineglass  pulpit,  with 
sounding  board  overhead,  at  the  western  end.  This 
compels  the  rector  to  conduct  part  of  the  service 
at  each  end  of  the  church  and  obliges  the  congre- 
gation to  change  to  the  other  seat  of  the  pews  in 
order  to  face  in  the  opposite  direction.  In  the 
adjoining  churchyard  are  buried  many  distinguished 
early  residents  of  the  city,  including  Commodore 
Stephen  Decatur. 

Trinity  Church,  Oxford,  stands  on  the  site  of  a 
log  meetinghouse  where  Church  of  England  serv- 
ices were  held  as  early  as  1698.  The  present 
brick  structure  was  erected  in  171 1.  Standing 
among  fine  old  trees  in  the  midst  of  a  picturesque 

[223  ] 


The  Colonial  Architecture  of  Philadelphia 

churchyard,  it  has  an  appearance  rather  English 
than  American.  The  detail  of  the  wood  trim  is 
obviously  Colonial,  however,  and  the  brickwork 
corresponds  to  the  best  in  Philadelphia.  The  in- 
fluence of  Flemish  brickwork  is  seen  in  the  large 
diamond  patterns  each  side  of  the  semicircular 
marble  inscription  tablet  above  the  principal  door- 
way. 

St.  Paul's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  South 
Third  and  Walnut  streets,  was  designed  by  William 
Strickland  and  built  some  years  later  than  St. 
Peter's.  The  exterior  remains  the  same,  but  the 
interior  has  been  considerably  altered.  It  is  a 
simple  gable-roof  structure  of  plastered  rubble  ma- 
sonry, and  its  facade  with  broad  pilasters,  handsome 
round-topped  windows  and  simple  doorway  is  heavily 
vine-clad.  A  handsome  fence  with  highly  orna- 
mental wrought-iron  gates  and  large  ball-topped 
posts  lends  a  touch  of  added  refinement  to  the 
picture.  Edwin  Forrest,  the  eminent  American 
actor,  is  buried  in  one  of  the  vaults  of  the  church. 

Although  the  Friends  were  the  first  sect  to  erect 
a  meetinghouse  of  their  own  in  Germantown, 
about  1693,  the  Mennonites  built  a  log  meeting- 
house in  1709,  the  first  of  this  sect  in  America,  and 
their  present  stone  church  on  Germantown  Avenue, 
near  Herman  Street,  in  1770,  a  modest  one-story 
gable-roof  structure  of  ledge  stone.  It  would  be 
impossible  to  conceive   anything  simpler  than   the 

[224J 


Public   Buildings 

tall,  narrow,  double  doors  with  the  little  hood  above 
a  stone  stoop  with  plain,  iron  handrail  on  one  side. 
In  the  churchyard  in  front  of  it  lie  the  remains  of 
the  man  who  shot  and  mortally  wounded  General 
Agnew  during  the  Battle  of  Germantown. 


[225] 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Abacus,  109,  112 

Acanthus  leaf,  81,  164 

Adam,  mantels,  92,  179,  183 ; 
design,  in  American  building, 
166;    cornice  and  frieze,  187 

Agnew,  General,  63 

Allen,  Nathaniel,  3 

Ambler,  Doctor  W.  S.,  121 

American  flag,  the  first,  tra- 
dition   concerning    the  making 

of,  5*»  52 

Andirons,  172,  181 

Andre,  Major  John,  14,  22 

Arch  Street,  house  at  No.  229 
(Ross  house),  51,  52 

Arches,  detailed,  20;  flat  brick, 
23;  elliptical,  24,  172;  with 
cores  of  brick,  26,  27;  at  foot 
of  stairway,  60;  Palladian 
window  recessed  within,  66; 
recessed,  66;  gauged,  141; 
relieving,  141 ;  flanked  by  two 
narrow  arches,  165 ;  across 
main  hall,  193 

Architects,  amateur,  6 

Architecture,  advantage  of  study 
of,  2 ;  a  part  of  gentleman's 
education  in  Colonial  times,  6 

Architrave  casings,  of  house  No. 
5442  Germantown  Avenue,  77; 
fine-scale  hand  carving  in,  III; 
of  Wharton  house,  113; 
molded,  162;  of  old  Spruce 
Street  house,  178;  were  the 
rule,  190;    miter-joined,   191 

Architraves,  fluted,  109;  molded, 
112;  incised,  115;  of  Up- 
sala,    120;     horizontal,    172 

Areaways,  40,  49,  61 


Armat,  Thomas,  81,  82 
Armat,  Thomas  Wright,  81 
Arnold,  Benedict,  75,  76 
Articles  of  Confederation,  signing 

of,  205 
Astragal,  176,  177,  180,  181 

Bainbridge,  Commodore,  221 

Balconies,  hall,  154 

Ball  and  cross,  223 

Ball  and  disk,  97 

Balusters,  of  Stenton,  157;  of 
Whitby  Hall,  159;  of  Upsala, 
167;  in  Congress  Hall,  209, 
210 

Balustraded,  belvederes,  19,  73 ; 
roof,  199;    clock-tower,  200 

Balustrades,  of  stairway,  74,  157, 
159,  167;  of  porch,  92;  of  wing 
steps,  98;  patterned  after 
cathedral  grilles  and  screens, 
127;  of  cast  iron,  of  Wistar 
house,  spiral  design  in,  129; 
of  house  No.  207  La  Grange 
Alley,  130;  of  Independence 
Hall,  201 

Bank  of  North  America,  8,  9 

Bank  of  Stephen  Girard,  218 

Bank  of  the  United  States,  the 
first,  and  the  building  it  oc- 
cupied, 216-218 

Barclay,  Alexander,  20 

"Barn"  pointing,  55,  95 

Bartram,  John,  94 

Bartram,  William,  95 

Bartram  House,  93-95 ;  win- 
dows of,  136;  dormers  of, 
140;  with  neither  outside 
shutters    nor    blinds,    142 


[  229] 


Index 


Bead  and  reel,  175,  176,  180, 
181 

Bed-molding,  reeded,  109;  den- 
ticulated, 112 

Belfry,  219 

Belting,  of  Stenton,  26;  of 
Port  Royal  House,  35;  of  city 
blocks,  39;  of  Morris  house, 
49;  of  Upsala,  60;  of  The 
Woodlands  stable,  66;  of 
Mount  Pleasant,  73 ;  of 
Solitude,  83  ;  of  Cliveden,  88 ; 
of  The  Highlands,  91 ;  of 
Independence  Hall,  199 

Belvedere  platform,  214 

Belvederes,  of  Woodford,  19; 
of  Port  Royal  House,  35; 
of  Mount  Pleasant,  73 

Bezan,  John, 3 

Billmeyer,  Michael,  99 

Billmeyer  house,  description  of, 
98,  99;  history  of,  99;  six- 
panel  door  of,  103 ;  seats  of 
entrance  of,  107;  stoop  of, 
129;  windows  of,  138;  dormers 
of,  141 

Bingham,  Hannah,  44 

Bingham,  William,  43,  44 

Blackwell,  Colonel  Jacob,  43 

Blackwell,   Rev.    Doctor   Robert, 

43>44 

Blackwell  house,  description  of, 
42,  43;  history  of,  43,  44; 
eight-panel  door  of,  104; 
windows  of,  136,  138;  shutters 
of,  143,  145;    doorhead  of,  192 

Blinds,  of  Girard  house,  31;  of 
Port  Royal  House,  35;  of  city 
blocks,  40;  of  Upsala,  60; 
of  Grumblethorpe,  61 ;  of 
house  No.  5442  Germantown 
Avenue,  77;  of  Loudoun,  81; 
of  The  Highlands,  92  ;  use  of, 
143,  144;  structure  of,  145, 
146;  methods  of  hanging  and 
fastening,  146-148 


Blocks,  houses  in,  15,  38;  char- 
acteristics of,  38,  39;  many  of 
them  palatial,  40;  decay  of, 
41 ;   of  Camac  Street,  41,  42 

Bolts,  147 

Bonding,  18,  23,  38,  48,  49 

Books  on  joinery,  6 

Botanical  garden  of  John  Bar- 
tram,  94,  95 

Brackets,  167,  168,  214 

Brandywine,  Battle  of,  205 

Brick,  favored  from  the  outset 
in  preference  to  wood,  16,  17; 
Georgian  country  houses  of, 
I7-375    city  residences  of,  38- 

52 

"Brick"  stone,  86,  87,  95,  98 

Brick  trim,  170 

Brickwork,  how  laid  up,  18; 
of  Morris  house,  48,  49 

Builders,  attracted  to  Phila- 
delphia at  an  early  time,  5 

Bull  baiting,  13 

Bull's-eye,  light,  160;  win- 
dow, 199 

Cadwalader,  General,  221 

Camac  Street,  41,  42 

Capitals,  of  acanthus-leaf  mo- 
tive, 81;  Corinthian,  116; 
Ionic,  121,  159 

Carlton,  windows  of,  137;  dor- 
mers of,  140 

Carpenter  house,  168 

Carpenters,  attracted  to  Phila- 
delphia at  an  early  time,  5 

Carpenters'  Company,  the,  5,  210 

Carpenters'  Hall,  8;  win- 
dows of,  148;  description  and 
history  of,  210-212 

Carr,  Colonel,  95 

Carving,  elliptical,  97;    floreated, 

173 
Casement  sashes,  31 
Casings.       See      Door-casings, 

Window-casings 


[230] 


Index 


Cedar  Grove,  windows  of, 
135;  dormers  of,  139;  shutters 
of,  143 

Chalkley  Hall,  eight-panel  door 
of,  104;  windows  of,  137, 
139;  dormers  of,  140;  blinds 
of,  143,  146 

Chandeliers,  187 

Chew,  Benjamin,  88-90 

Chew,  John,  89 

Chew  house,  shutters  of,  147 

Chew's  Woods,  91 

Chimney  breast,  171,  175 

Chimney-pieces,  of  Hope  Lodge, 
24;  of  house  No.  5442  Ger- 
mantown  Avenue,  77 ;  of  Clive- 
den, 88;  development  of,  171; 
of  Whitby  Hall,  172,  173; 
of  Mount  Pleasant,  175,  176; 
of  Cliveden,  177;  of  old  house 
on  Spruce  Street,  178;  pan- 
eled, 188;  of  Stenton,  188 

Chimney  stacks,  of  Port  Royal 
House,  35;  of  Mount  Pleas- 
ant, 73 ;  of  Cliveden,  88 ; 
of  Independence  Hall,  199 

Chimneys,  of  Woodford,  19;  of 
Stenton,  26;  of  Girard  house, 
31;  of  city  blocks,  39;  of 
Grumblethorpe,  61 ;  of  Ver- 
non, 79 ;   of  Solitude,  83 

China  closets,  189 

Christ  church,  designed  by 
Doctor  John  Kearsley,  6; 
windows  of,  148-150;  his- 
tory and  description  of,  219- 
221 

Churches,  218-225 

City  Troop,  the,  50 

Clarendon  Code,  the,  3 

Classic,  facade,  88;  moldings, 
113;  entablature,  115;  de- 
tail, 127,  165,  178,  179,  187, 
194,  198;  orders,  application 
of,  to  walls,  etc.,  186;  urns, 
199;      three     orders     used     in 


tower  of  Independence  Hall, 
200 ;  balustrade,  201 ;  Cus- 
tom House,  215;  Girard  Col- 
lege, 215;  Stock  Exchange, 
216;   Bank  Building,  217 

Clay,  makeshift  for  lime,  96 

Cleveland,  Parker,  63 

Cliveden,  description  of,  87,  88; 
history  of,  88-91,  98,  99; 
door  of,  105;  doorway  of,  117, 
118;  stoop  of,  127,  128;  win- 
dows of,  137;  dormers  of, 
141;  lintels  of,  142;  shutters 
of,  143,  144;  hall  and  stair- 
case of,  165,  166;  chimney 
piece  of,  177;  parlor  of,  186; 
interior  finish  of,  188,  191 

Clock  tower,  199 

Closets,  with  sliding  top,  27; 
fireplace,  172-174 

Clunie.    See  Mount  Pleasant 

Coach,  old  family,  91 

Cock  fighting,  13 

Coin  d'Or,  42 

Coleman,  William,  20 

Colonial  domestic  architecture, 
much  of  best,  to  be  found  in 
neighborhood  of  Philadelphia, 
2 

Colonial  pointing,  55  > 

Colonial  style  of  architecture, 
in  Philadelphia,  3 ;  reference 
books  on  joinery  the  fountain- 
head  of,  6;  more  or  less  com- 
mon to  all  buildings  of  the 
period  in  Philadelphia,  14 

Colonnettes,  152,  183 

Columns,  of  Hope  Lodge,  23; 
of  city  blocks,  40;  engaged 
Ionic,  of  The  Woodlands,  65; 
Tuscan,  of  house  No.  5442 
Germantown  Avenue,  77 ; 
of  Loudoun,  81;  Ionic,  of 
Solitude,  83 ;  reeded,  of  The 
Highlands,  92;  of  Bartram 
House,  94;  engaged,  supporting 


[231  ] 


Index 


pediment,  108  ;  engaged,  sup- 
porting massive  entablature, 
112;  of  Wharton  house,  113; 
fluted,  of  house  No.  6105  Ger- 
mantown  Avenue,  115;  fluted, 
of  Dr.  Denton's  house,  116;  of 
Upsala,  120;  fluted,  in  Inde- 
pendence Hall,  203 ;  engaged, 
in  Independence  Hall,  204 

Combes  Alley,  41 

Combes  Alley  house,  windows 
of,  136;    shutters  of,  144 

Congress  Hall,  windows  of,  148; 
history  and  description  of,  207- 
210 

Consoles,  hand-carved,  107,  173, 
174,  177,  192,  200;  of  dental 
course,  115;  of  Mount  Pleas- 
ant, 176;  of  Independence 
Hall,  200 

Constitution  of  United  States, 
setting  of  convention  which 
framed,  9 

Continental  Congresses  in 
Philadelphia,  8,  9,  205 

Corinthian,  doorways,  115; 
capitals,  116;  pilasters,  200, 
213,  214;  Girard  College,  215; 
Stock  Exchange,  216 

Cornices,  of  Woodford,  19,  20; 
of  Hope  Lodge,  23,  24;  of 
Girard  house,  31;  of  Port 
Royal  House,  35;  of  city 
blocks,  39  j  of  Morris  house, 
49;  of  Upsala,  60;  of  Mount 
Pleasant,  73,  74,  163,  176, 
192;  of  house  No.  5442  Ger- 
mantown  Avenue,  77 ;  of  Ver- 
non, 80;  of  Solitude,  83;  of 
Cliveden,  88,  165;  of  The 
Highlands,  91 ;  of  Green  Tree 
Inn,  97;  of  house  No.  6504 
Germantown  Avenue,  no;  of 
house  No.  709  Spruce  Street, 
in  ;  of  house  No.  5200  German- 
town  Avenue,    in;    of  house 


No.  4927  Frankford  Avenue, 
in;  of  Grumblethorpe,  114; 
of  Stenton,  156;  of  Whitby 
Hall,  159,  172;  of  Mount 
Vernon,  173;  as  usually  used, 
186,  187;  of  house  No.  224 
Pine  Street,  192;  with  promi- 
nent modillions,  193  ;  of  Inde- 
pendence Hall,  199,  200;  of 
Congress  Hall,  208;  in  Girard 
National  Bank  building,  217 

Corona,  180 

Coultas,  Colonel,  160,  161 

Coultas,  James,  160 

Country  houses,  Georgian,  of 
brick,       17-37;        ledge-stone, 

53-68 
Coving,     of    Hope    Lodge,    23; 

of  Girard  house,  31;    of  Green 

Tree  Inn,  97 
Cupolas,  208,  211 
Custom  House,  215 
Cymatium,  176,  177,  180,  183 
Cypress   Street,   house   No.   312, 

mantel  of,  182 

Dado,  157,  159,  164,  186,  191 
Dais,    President's,    in    Congress 

Hall,  209,  210 
Dale,  Commodore,  221 
Decatur,     Commodore     Stephen, 

223 
Declaration      of     Independence, 

signing  of,  9,  205 
De  Lancy,  Captain  John  Peter, 

Dentil  course,  of  Morris  house, 
109;  of  house  No.  6504  Ger- 
mantown Avenue,  no;  of 
house  No.  4927  Frankford  Ave- 
nue, 112;  of  house  No.  6105 
Germantown  Avenue,  115;  of 
Dr.  Denton's  house,  115;  of 
Upsala,  120;  of  The  Wood- 
lands, 152;  of  Mount  Pleas- 
ant,   176,    192;    and    mantel, 


[232] 


Index 


180, 181 ;  of  Independence  Hall, 
200 

Denton,  Dr.,  his  house,  115,  128 

Deschler,  David,  78 

Deschler,  Widow,  99 

Dickinson,  John,  82 

Dirck,  Keyser  house,  footscraper 
of,  131 

Door-casings,  of  Hope  Lodge, 
24;  of  Blackwell  house,  42; 
of  Mount  Pleasant,  74; 
molded,  106;  of  houses  No.  114 
League  Street  and  No.  5933  Ger- 
mantown  Avenue,  107;  rusti- 
cated, 116;  of  Whitby  Hall, 
172 

Doorheads,  pedimental,  74,  162, 
164,  192;   elaborated,  107 

Door  trim,  191 

Doors,  paneled,  of  Hope  Lodge, 
23,  24;  paneled,  of  Stenton, 
27;  of  Girard  house,  31; 
paneled,  of  city  blocks,  40; 
of  Blackwell  house,  43;  of 
Upsala,  60;  of  Grumble- 
thorpe,  62;  of  Wyck,  71; 
paneled,  of  house  No.  5442  Ger- 
mantown  Avenue,  77;  paneled, 
of  Loudoun,  81 ;  of  The  High- 
lands, 92;  of  Johnson  house, 
96;  four  types  common  in 
Colonial  period,  102;  single 
and  double,  102;  types  classi- 
fied according  to  arrange- 
ment of  panels,  103 ;  six- 
panel,  103,  104,  107,  108; 
three-panel,  104;  four- 

panel,  200;  eight-panel,  104, 
105;  of  Morris  house,  109; 
of  house  No.  701  South 
Seventh  Street,  no;  of  house 
No.  709  Spruce  Street,  in; 
of  house  No.  5200  German- 
town  Avenue,  in;  of  house 
No.  4927  Frankford  Avenue, 
in;     of    Powel    house,     113; 


of  Wharton  house,  113;  of 
Grumblethorpe,  114;  of 
house  No.  6105  Germantown 
Avenue,  115;  double  blind, 
116;  of  Mount  Pleasant,  116; 
of  Cliveden,  116;  of  Solitude, 
118;  of  Perot-Morris  house, 
118;  of  Upsala,  121;  with 
molded  flat  panels,  122;  in 
round-arched  doorways,  124, 
125;  closet,  174;  by  the  side 
of  the  fireplace,  178. 
Doorways,  of  Woodford,  19; 
Doric,  of  Port  Royal  house, 
35;  of  city  blocks,  40;  of 
Blackwell  house,  42;  pedi- 
mental, of  Morris  house,  49; 
of  Grumblethorpe,  61 ;  of 
The  Woodlands,  65;  of  house 
No.  5442  Germantown  Avenue, 
77;  of  Vernon,  80;  of  Lou- 
doun, 81 ;  of  Solitude,  83 ; 
Doric,  of  Cliveden,  88;  of 
The  Highlands,  92;  of  Bar- 
tram  House,  94;  the  domi- 
nating feature  of  facade,  101 ; 
have  character  and  individual- 
ity, 101 ;  broad  range  of, 
in  Philadelphia  houses,  102; 
unlike  those  of  New  England, 
102;  high  and  narrow,  and 
speak  of  Quaker  severity,  102 ; 
recessed,  105;  the  simplest 
type  of,  106,  107;  of  houses 
No.  114  League  Street  and  No. 
5933  Germantown  Avenue,  107; 
the  characteristic  type  of 
pedimental  door  trim,  108; 
of  houses  No.  501 1  German- 
town  Avenue  and  No.  247 
Pine  Street,  108,  109;  of 
Morris  house,  109;  of  houses 
No.  6504  Germantown  Ave- 
nue and  No.  701  South 
Seventh  Street,  no;  of  house 
No.    709    Spruce    Street,    11 1 ; 


[  233  ] 


Indi 


ex 


of  house  No.  5200  German- 
town  Avenue,  1 1 1 ;  of  house 
No.    4927    Frankford   Avenue, 

111,  112;    of  the  Powel  house, 

112,  113;  of  house  No.  301 
South  Seventh  Street,  114; 
of  Grumblethorpe,  114;  of 
house  No.  6105  Germantown 
Avenue,  114,  115;  of  Corin- 
thian order,  115;  of  Dr.  Den- 
ton's house,  115;  of  Mount 
Pleasant,  116;  having  com- 
plete entablature  above  fan- 
light surmounted  by  pedi- 
ment, 116;  Tuscan,  116; 
Doric,  116;  of  Cliveden,  117, 
118;  fine  specimen  of  mu- 
tulary  Doric,  117;  of  Soli- 
tude, 118;  of  Perot-Morris 
house,  118,  119;  of  Upsala, 
121;  of  Henry  house,  121; 
of  house  No.  224  South  Eighth 
Street,  122,  123;  of  Stenton, 
earliest  instance  of  side  lights 
in  Philadelphia,  123,  124; 
round-arched,  124;  examples 
of  round-arched,  124,  125; 
of  Mount  Vernon,  174;  round- 
headed,  192,  193;  of  Con- 
gress Hall,  208 

Doric,  doorway,  35,  88,  116, 
117,  151,  200;  inspiration, 
in  Morr's  house,  no;  columns, 
112,  120;  capitals,  116;  archi- 
trave, 120;  entablature,  162, 
214;  cornice,  191,  219;  apart- 
ment, 203,  204;  frieze,  219; 
mutulary,  117,  162,  200,  203, 
214,  219 

Dormers  of  Hope  Lodge,  23 ; 
of  Stenton,  26;  of  Port  Royal 
House,  35;  pedimental,  of 
city  blocks,  39;  of  Morris 
house,  48;  shed-roof,  of  Live- 
zey  house,  56;  of  Upsala, 
59 ;  of  Grumblethorpe,  61 ;    of 


Mount  Pleasant,  73  ;  of  house 
No.  5442  Germantown  Ave- 
nue, 77;  of  Vernon,  80;  of 
Loudoun,  81;  of  Solitude,  83; 
of  Cliveden,  88;  of  Bartram 
House,  94;  of  the  Johnson 
house,  95;  of  Green  Tree 
Inn,  97 ;  of  the  Billmeyer  house, 
99;  pedimental  or  gable- 
roofed,  segmental  topped,  lean- 
to  or  shed-roofed,  139-141 

Dots  and  dashes,  180 

Douglass,  David,  14 

Drama,  introduced  into  Phila- 
delphia, 14 

Drilled  rope,  180,  181 

Drop  handles,  106,  117 

Drops,  159 

Dunkin,  Ann,  49 

Dutch  seats,  94 

Eastwick,  Andrew,  95 

Eaves,  60,  61,  96 

Egg  and  dart  motive,  175,  176, 
177,  203 

Eighth  and  Spruce  streets,  house 
at,  doorway  of,  124;  stoop 
of,  129 

Elfret  Alley,  41 

English  Classic  style  of  archi- 
tecture.    See  Georgian 

Entablature,  40;  of  Loudoun, 
81;  Ionic,  112,  113;  Co- 
rinthian, 115;  above  fanlight, 
116;  recessed,  118;  Doric, 
120,  214;  of  Mount  Pleas- 
ant, 162,  164;  at  Cliveden, 
165;  at  Upsala,  180;  at 
house  No.  729  Walnut  Street, 
183 ;  at  Independence  Hall, 
203 

Entrances,  of  Hope  Lodge,  23 ; 
of  Stenton,  27;  character- 
istic, 40;  of  Upsala,  60;  of 
Grumblethorpe,  62 ;  of  The 
Woodlands,    65;    of  the    Bill- 


[234] 


Inde 


x 


meyer  house,  98 ;  house  as- 
sociated with,  101 ;  of  the 
Morris  house,  109.  See  Door- 
ways, Porches. 

Estates  of  the  countryside  of 
Philadelphia,  15 

Evans  house,  windows  of,  137, 
138;  dormers  of,  140;  shutters 
and  blinds  of,  144,  145,  146 

Facade,  of  Woodford,  19;  of 
Hope  Lodge,  23 ;  of  Morris 
house,  48;  of  Upsala,  59, 
60;  of  Grumblethorpe,  61; 
of  Mount  Pleasant,  73 ;  of 
Vernon,  79;  of  Cliveden,  88; 
of  The  Highlands,  91 ;  of 
Bartram  House,  94;  of  In- 
dependence Hall,  199 

Fanlights,  used  in  Philadelphia 
entrances,  40;  of  house  No. 
225  South  Eighth  Street,  49; 
of  Upsala,  60,  120;  of  The 
Woodlands,  65,  152;  of  Ver- 
non, 79;  of  Loudoun,  81;  of 
The  Highlands,  91,  92;  tran- 
som replaced  by,  108;  of 
house  No.  501 1  Germantown 
Avenue,  108;  of  house  No. 
247  Pine  Street,  109;  of  house 
No.  6504  Germantown  Ave- 
nue, no;  of  house  No.  5200 
Germantown  Avenue,  in;  of 
house  No.  4927  Frankford  Ave- 
nue, III;  a  frequent  type  of 
doorway  with,  112;  of  the 
Wharton  house,  113;  of 
Grumblethorpe,  114;  a  rare 
type  of,  116;  patterned  after 
a  much-used  Palladian  win- 
dow, 122;  of  house  No.  39 
Fisher's  Lane,  122;  of  house 
No.  224  South  Eighth  Street, 
122;  in  round-headed  door- 
ways, 193 ;  of  Independence 
Hall,    201,    207;     of  Congress 


Hall,  208 ;  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Hospital,  213 

Farmhouse  type,  Pennsylvania, 
characteristic  examples  of,  100 

Farmhouses,  127 

Fascia,  in,  112,  115,  180,  181, 
183 

Fences,  50,  126,  220,  224 

Fenestration.     See  Windows 

Festoons,  180,  183,  184,  187 

"Fete  Champetre  ",  85 

Firebacks,  28,  169,  172 

Fire  balconies,  92,  208 

Fire  marks,  119 

Fireplaces,  of  Woodford,  20;  of 
Hope  Lodge,  24;  of  Livezey 
house,  57;  of  Mount  Pleas- 
ant, 74;  the  significance  and 
the  history  of,  169-171;  seg- 
mental arched,  205 

Fisher,  Deborah,  45.  See  Whar- 
ton, Deborah 

Fisher,  Samuel,  45 

Fisher's  Lane,  house  No.  39, 
eight-panel  door  of,  105; 
porch  of,  122 

Fixtures,  wrought-iron,  for 
hanging  and  fastening  shutters 
and  blinds,  146 

Flemish  bond,  18,  23,  26,  38, 
48 

Floors,  of  Woodford,  20 

Florentine  manner,  iron  work 
wrought  in,  129 

Florida  cession,  the,  93 

Flow,  John  H.,  and  the  tradi- 
tion of  the  first  American 
flag,  52 

Flush  pointing,  55 

Flutings,  65,  180-183 

Footscrapers,  109,  127,  130-133 

Forbes,  Brigadier  General  John, 
221 

Foreshortening,  of  windows,  of 
Girard  house,  31;  of  city 
blocks,     39,     40;      of     Morris 


[235] 


Inaex 


house,   48;    of  Livezey   house, 

57;     of    Johnson    house,    96; 

of    the    Billmeyer    house,    99; 

in  three-story  houses,  138,  139 
Forrest,  Edwin,  224 
Fourth      and       Liberty      streets, 

house  at,  130 
Frankford,  36 
Frankford    Avenue,     house    No. 

4927,  doorway  of,  11 1 
Franklin,   Benjamin,  9,   58,   212, 

219,  221 
Franklin  Inn,  42 
Franks,  Abigail,  21 
Franks,  David,  21 
Franks,  Isaac,  78 
Franks,  Rebecca,  21 
Free    Quakers'    Meeting    House, 

windows  of,   138,    148;    lintels 

of,  142 
Frieze,    of   The  Woodlands,   65; 

of     house     No.     114     League 

Street,     107;     of    house    No. 

6504Germantown  Avenue,  no; 

of  Whitby  Hall,  158;   of  house 

No.  312  Cypress  Street,  183;  of 

house  No.  729  Walnut  Street, 

158;  of  Solitude,  187 
Front,  double,  of  Morris  house, 

39,  48 
Furniture,  old,  63,  79,  205,  206 

Gable  ends,  60 

Gable  roofs,  39;  of  Livezey 
house,  56;  of  Upsala,  59,  120; 
of  house  No.  5442  German- 
town  Avenue,  77;  of  Ver- 
non, 79;  of  Bartram  House, 
94;  of  the  Johnson  house, 
95 ;  of  Independence  Hall, 
199;  of  St.  Paul's  Protestant 
Episcopal  church,  224 

Gambrel  roof,  80 

Gardens,  of  city  houses,  40;  of 
Morris  house,  49;  of  Grumble- 
thorpe,  62,  64 ;    of  The  Wood- 


lands,  65,   67;     of  house   No. 

5442  Germantown  Avenue,  76; 

of  John  Bartram,  94,  95 
Gates,  220 
Georgian        countryhouses        of 

brick,  16-37 
Georgian  fireplace,  188 
Georgian  sashes,  31,  134 
Georgian    style,    3,    17,    156;     of 

brick    houses,    17;     Woodford, 

19;     Hope    Lodge,    22;     The 

Woodlands,     65,     66;     Clunie, 

72,   74;    of  brick   houses,   86; 

The  Highlands,  91 
Germantown,   Battle  of,   61,   63, 

71,  78,  90,  97,  99,  205 
Germantown,   ledge-stone   houses 

at,  53 
Germantown   Academy,   the,   98, 

99 

Germantown  Avenue,  house  No. 
5442,  description  of,  76- 
78;  history  of,  78,  79;  six- 
panel  door  of  house  No.  5442, 
103  ;  eight-panel  door  of  house 
No.  4908,  105;  house  No. 
1748,  doorway  of,  107;  house 
No.  501 1,  doorway  of,  108; 
house  No.  6504,  doorway 
of,  no;  house  No.  5200, 
doorway  of,  in;  house  No. 
6105,  doorway  of,  114,  115; 
house  No.  6105,  dormers  of, 
140;  house  No.  6105,  blinds 
of,  145,  147;  house  No.  6043, 
shutter  fasteners  of,  148 

Germantown  stone,  87 

Germantown  type  of  pointing,  55 

Ginkgo  tree,  the,  67 

Girard,  Stephen,  31-33;  his  will, 

33,  34 
Girard  College,  31,  33,  34,  215 
Girard  (Stephen)  house,  31 
Glass,  134 
Glen       Fern.        See       Livezey 

HonsF 


[236] 


Index 


Gothic,  tracery,  123,  127;  de- 
tail, 128;  arch,  curves  remi- 
niscent of,  149 

Gowen  house,  167 

Gravitating  catches,  147 

Gray,  Martha  Ibbetson,  161 

Greame  Park,  69;  windows  of, 
136;   dormers  of,  139 

Grecian  band,  130,  133,  192, 
209 

Grecian    fret,    jy,   91,    109,    m, 

*73>  176,  189 
Greek    architecture,  Girard    Col- 
lege a  fine  specimen  of,  215 
Green   Tree    Inn,    97,    98;     six- 
panel  door  of,    103;    doorway 
of,  107 

Haines  family,  72 
Hallam's    (William)   Old   Ameri- 
can Company,  14,  67 
Halls,    of    Wyck,    71;     an    im- 
portant  interior   feature,    153; 
in  early  times,   153;    develop- 
ment of,    154;     staircases   and 
balconies  introduced  into,  154; 
in     the     Georgian     period     of 
English  architecture,  154,  155; 
in  Provincial  mansions  of  Phila- 
delphia, 155;    of  Stenton,  156, 
157;     from    back   to   front   of 
the    house,    157;    of    Whitby 
Hall,     158-160,     162-164;     of 
Mount  Pleasant,   161-164;    of 
Cliveden,    165,    166;     of   Up- 
sala,  166,  167 
Hamilton,  Alexander,  78 
Hamilton,   Andrew,    designer    of 
Independence     Hall,     6,     197, 
198;    married  Abigail   Franks, 
21;     the    first    of    the    name 
in     America,     66;      Benjamin 
Chew  studied  law  with,  89 
Hamilton,  Governor  James,  67 
Hamilton,  William,  66-68 
Hancock,  John,  206 


Handles,  brass,  of  Woodford,  20 
Handrail,  wrought-iron,  of  Wood- 
ford, 19;   wrought-iron,  of  city 
blocks,  40;     of  Wistar  house, 
127;     patterned    after    cathe- 
dral grilles    and    screens,   127; 
other    examples    of,     128-130, 
157,  167 
Headers,  18,  26,  38,  48 
Heage,  William,  3 
Heath,  Susanna,  25 
Heating,  methods  of,  169-171 
Henry  house,  121 
Hewn  stone  country  houses,  86- 

100 
Highlands,   The,    description   of, 
9*>    92;     history    of,    92,  93; 
door  of,   105;    porch  of,   120; 
unique  in  having  porch,  side- 
lights,  and   elliptical    fanlight, 
122;    windows  of,  137;    blinds 
of,  145 
Hinges,  146,  172,  209 
Hipped      roof,      of      Woodford, 
18;    of  Hope  Lodge,  23,  120; 
of    Stenton,    26;     of    Girard 
house,     31;      of    Port     Royal 
House,   35 ;    of  the   stable  of 
The  Woodlands,  66;  of  Mount 
Pleasant,   72,   73;    of  Vernon, 
79;    of  Loudoun,  80;    of  Soli- 
tude,  83 ;    of  The   Highlands, 
120;  of  Congress  Hall,  208 
Hitner,  purchaser  of  The  High- 
lands, 93 
Holme,  Thomas,  3,  4 
Hoods,  96,  97,  106 
Hope,  Henry,  25 

Hope  Lodge,  description  of,  22- 
24;  history  of,  24,  25;  door 
of,  105;  porch  of,  120;  win- 
dows of,  135,  141;  dormers 
of,  141;  shutters  of,  143; 
round-headed  doorway  of,  193  ; 
arch  across  main  hall  of,  193 
Hopkinson,  Francis,  221 


[237] 


Index 


Horse  block,  99 

Howe,  Sir  William,  21,  30,  78 

Independence  Hall,  designed 
by  Andrew  Hamilton,  6; 
meeting  of  second  Continental 
Congress  in,  8;  windows  of, 
1 48,  151;  stair-end  treatment 
of,  168;  history  and  descrip- 
tion of,  196-207 

Inns  and  taverns  of  Colonial 
days,  11,  12 

Interior  wood-finish,  of  the 
average  eighteenth-century 
Philadelphia  house,  185- 
187;  in  the  better  houses  of 
the  Provincial  period,  187, 
188;     of    Stenton,    188,    189; 

'.  of  Whitby  Hall,  189;  doors 
and  doorways,  189-194;  white- 
painted,  194,  195:  of  Congress 
Hall,  208 ;  of  Carpenters'  Hall, 
214 

Interiors,  Colonial,  a  favorite 
treatment  of,  186 

Ionic,  pilasters,  65,  91 ;  columns, 
83,  94;  entablature,  112,  219, 
220;  doorway,  118;  pedi- 
ments, 120,  191;  window,  151; 
newel,  159;  pulvinated,  163, 
219;  cornice,  192;  walls  of 
tower,  199;  Palladian  win- 
dow, 200;  hall  in  Independ- 
ence Hall,  200;   volute,  201 

Ironwork,  124-133 

Jambs,  molded,  71 ;  paneled, 
106,  107,  108,  in,  113,  121, 
191,  200,  203;   rusticated,  116 

Jansen,  Dirck,  96 

Jansen  family,  72 

Jefferson,  Thomas,  78 

Johnson  house,  description  of, 
95,  96;  history  of,  96,  97; 
six-paneled  door  of,  103  ;  door- 
way    of,     106;      windows     of, 


136;  dormers  of,  140;   shutters 

of,  143 
Johnson,  General  Sir  Henry,  21 
Johnson,  John,  60,  90 
Johnson,  John,  Jr.,  60 
Johnson,  Norton,  61 
Johnson,  Sallie  W.,  61 
Johnson,     Doctor     William     N., 

61 
Joinery,  reference  books  on,  6 
Jones,  Inigo,  171 

Kearsley,  Doctor  John,  6,  219 

Keith,  Sir  William,  69 

Key  plate,  110 

Keyed  arch,  ill 

Keyed  lintels,  39,  60,  73,  88 

Keystones,  91,  113,  199 

Kitchen,     of    Stenton,     26;      of 

Grumblethorpe,  63 
Knobs,  72,  109,  110 
Knockers,  72,  105,  106,  no,  in 
Knox,  Henry,  78 
Kunders,  Thomas,  82 

La  Fayette,  71,  90,  98 

La  Grange  Alley,  house  No.  207, 
balustrade  of,  130 

Lambert,  General,  221 

Landings,  staircase,  154,  158, 
163,  165,  166,  167 

Laurel  Hill,  windows  of,  137; 
shutters  of,  143 

Leaded  glass,  92 

League  Street,  house  No.  114, 
doorway  of,  107 

Ledge-stone  country  houses, 
53-68 

Ledge  stonework,  of  German- 
town,  its  picturesque  ap- 
peal, 53 ;  its  adaptability,  53, 
54;  has  marked  horizontal 
effect,  54;  is  conducive  to 
handsome,  honest  masonry,  54; 
in     combination     with     white- 


[238] 


Index 


painted  woodwork,  55,  56,  66; 
mansions,  the  chief  distinction 
of  Philadelphia  architecture,  68 

Lee,  Alice,  46 

Lee,  Arthur,  46 

Lee,  General  Charles,  221 

Lee,  Richard  Henry,  46 

Lee,  Thomas,  46 

Lenox,  General,  63 

Lesbian  leaf  ornaments,  173,  175 

Lewis,  Mordecai,  44,  45 

Lewis,  Samuel  N.,  45 

Lewis,  William,  22 

Liberty  Bell,  200-203 

Library,  of  Stenton,  28 

Lime,  makeshift  for,  96 

Lintels,  of  Port  Royal  House, 
35;  keyed,  of  city  blocks,  39; 
of  Morris  house,  49;  keyed, 
of  Upsala,  60;  keyed,  of 
Mount  Pleasant,  73 ;  keyed, 
of  Cliveden,  88;  of  The  High- 
lands, 91 ;  of  Bartram  House, 
94;   stone,  142 

Livezey,  John,  59 

Livezey,  Rachael,  96 

Livezey,  Thomas,  57 

Livezey,  Thomas,  Jr.,  57,  58 

Livezey,  Thomas,  son  of  Thomas, 

.  Jr.,  59 
Livezey    house,     description     of, 

56,     57;      history    of,     57-59; 

six-panel       door       of,        103 ; 

windows  of,   136;    dormers  of, 

139;     shutters    and    blinds   of, 

144,  146 
Logan,  Albanus,  30 
Logan,  Deborah,  30 
Logan,  Doctor  George,  29 
Logan,  Gustavus,  30,  82 
Logan,  James,  28,  29,  82 
Logan,  William,  29 
Lombardy  poplar,  the,  67 
Loudoun,  description  of,  80,  81 ; 

history  of,  81,  82;    eight-panel 

door    of,     104;     windows    of, 


137;    dormers,    140;     shutters 
and  blinds  of,  144,  145 
Lukens  family,  37 

Mackinett,  Daniel,  98 

Macpherson,  John,  74,  75 

Madison,  Dolly,  93 

Mahogany,  43 

Mansard  roof,  80 

Mantel  shelves,  171,  176-178 

Mantels,  of  Woodford,  20;  of 
Upsala,  60,  179-182;  of  The 
Highlands,  92 ;  develop- 
ment of,  171 ;  of  Stenton, 
172;  of  Whitby  Hall,  172, 
173;  of  Mount  Vernon,  173- 
175;  of  Mount  Pleasant,  175, 
176;  of  Cliveden,  177;  of 
old  Spruce  Street  house,  178; 
with  shelf,  178;  of  form  of 
complete  entablature,  178; 
hand-carved  ornaments  for, 
179;  for  hob  grate,  180; 
elaborate,  180,  181 ;  of  house 
at  Third  and  DeLancy  streets, 
182;  of  the  Rex  house,  182; 
of  house  No.  312  Cypress 
Street,  182;  of  house  No. 
729  Walnut  Street,  183 

Marble,  houses  of,  17;  Pennsyl- 
vania, of  house  No.  5442  Ger- 
mantown  Avenue,  77;  use  of, 
in  trimmings,  142,  173,  174, 
176,  177,  180,  198,  199,  208,  209 

Markets,  212 

Markham,  Captain  William,  3 

Marshall,  Chief  Justice  John,  202, 
208 

Mastic,  43 

Matthews,  James,  80 

McClenahan,  Blair,  90 

Medallion,  183 

Mennonites,  church  of,  224,  225 

Merailles,  Don  Juan  de,  75 

Mermaid  Inn,  in  Mount  Airy,  12 

Metopes,  118,  162 


[239] 


Index 


Millan,  Hans,  71 

"Misehianza",  21 

Modillions,  of  Woodford,  19; 
of  Stenton,  26;  hand-tooled, 
of  city  blocks,  39;  of  Mount 
Pleasant,  73  ;  of  house  No.  5442 
Germantown  Avenue,  77;  of 
Cliveden,  88;  of  Upsala,  120; 
of  Whitby  Hall,  1 59 ;  of  Mount 
Pleasant,  164,  192;  of  Inde- 
pendence Hall,  200;  of  the 
Girard  National  Bank  build- 
ing, 217 

Molding,  denticulated,  77,  80, 
107,  112,  115,  HO,  I77>  192, 
209;  ovolo,  97,  107,  us,  I73> 
176;  cornice,  109,  217;  of 
classic  order,  113;  rope,  120; 
bolection,  156,  171,  188,  190, 
191;  of  Mount  Pleasant,  162; 
crenelated,  172;  of  panel, 
175;  bed,  180;  cavetto,  181, 
187;  ogee,  187,  189;  of 
inside  doors,  190 

Morgan,  General  Jacob,  221 

Morris,  Anthony,  92 

Morris,  Joshua,  25 

Morris,  Luke  Wistar,  50 

Morris,  Robert,  services  of,  8; 
lived  in  Philadelphia,  9;  grave 
of,  221 

Morris,  Samuel,  24,  25 

Morris,  Captain  Samuel,  50,  92 

Morris,  Samuel  B.,  79 

Morris  house,  description  of,  39, 
48,  49;  history  of,  49,  50; 
door  of,  105 ;  doorway  of, 
109,  no;  windows  of,  137, 
139,  141,  142;  dormers  of, 
140;  shutters  of,  143,  144, 
146 

Mount  Pleasant,  description  of, 
72-74;  history  of,  74-76; 
three-panel  door  of,  104; 
doorway  of,  116;  stoop  of, 
128;     windows   of,    137;     dor- 


mers of,  141;  with  neither 
outside  shutters  nor  blinds, 
142;  Palladian  window  of, 
151;  hall  of,  161-165;  chim- 
ney-piece of,  175,  176;  in- 
terior wood  finish  of,  185, 
186,  187,  188,  190,  191,  192; 
round-headed  windows  of,  193 

Mount  Vernon,  173-175 

Mullions,  fluted,  116 

Muntins,  of  Woodford,  19;  of 
Hope  Lodge,  23 ;  of  Christ 
Church,  149;  of  six-panel  doors, 
190 

Musgrave,  Colonel,  90 

Mutules,  116 

Newels,     130,     132,     133,    157, 

159,167,201 
Nichol,  James,  63 
Northern  Liberties,  the,  4 

Observatory,  62,  64 

Ogee,  175 

Old  Swedes'  Church,  148,  149, 
221,  222 

Openings,  elliptical-headed,  193 

Outinian  Society,  85 

Oval  shell  pattern,  107 

Overmantel,  173,  174,  177 

Ovolo,  reeded,  in,  183;  en- 
riched, 113;  hand-tooled,  114; 
with  bead  and  reel  and  egg 
and  dart  motive,  175;  molded, 
176;  with  egg  and  dart  mo- 
tive, 177,  203 

Paintings,  first  exhibition  of, 
206 

Palladian  window,  of  Wood- 
ford, 19;  of  Port  Royal  House, 
35;  of  The  Woodlands,  66; 
of  Mount  Pleasant,  73,  117, 
164;  of  The  Highlands,  92; 
gable-roof  dormers  with,  140; 
chancel,  150;    of  Independence 


[  240]' 


Index 


Hall,  151;  in  domestic  archi- 
tecture, 151,  152;  on  land- 
ing, 158;  of  Whitby  Hall, 
151,  158,  188;  of  Independ- 
ence Hall,  200;  of  Car- 
penters' Hall,  2ii ;  of  Christ 
Church,  219,  220 

Pancoast,  Samuel,  44 

Paneling,  in  shutters  of  Wood- 
ford, 19;  in  doors  of  Hope 
Lodge,  23 ;  in  wainscots  of 
Hope  Lodge,  24;  of  win- 
dow-seats of  Hope  Lodge, 
24;  of  doors  of  Stenton,  27; 
of  wainscoting  of  Stenton, 
27;  of  walls  of  Stenton,  27; 
in  shutters  of  Girard  house, 
31;  of  shutters  of  city  blocks, 
40;  of  doors  of  city  blocks, 
40;  of  sides  of  rooms  and  fire- 
place openings,  43  ;  of  shutters 
of  Morris  house,  48 ;  of  wain- 
scots of  Upsala,  60,  167;  of 
doors  of  Wyck,  71 ;  of  door 
and  wainscots  of  house  No.  5442 
Germantown  Avenue,  77;  of 
shutters  of  Loudoun,  81 ;  of 
door  of  Loudoun,  81 ;  of  shutters 
of  Johnson  house,  96;  doors 
classified  according  to,  103 ; 
six-panel  doors,  103,  104,  107, 
108;  three-panel  doors,  104; 
eight-panel  doors,  104,  105; 
of  jambs,  106,  107,  108,  in; 
of  door  of  Morris  house,  109; 
of  door  of  house  No.  701 
South  Seventh  Street,  no; 
of  door  of  house  No.  709 
Spruce  Street,  III;  of  door  of 
house  No.  5200  Germantown 
Avenue,  in;  of  door  of  house 
No.  4927  Frankford  Avenue, 
in;  of  door  of  Powel  house, 
113;  of  jambs  of  Wharton 
House,  113;  of  door  of  Wharton 
house,  113;  ofdoorofGrumble- 


thorpe,  114;  of  door  of  house 
No.  6105  Germantown  Ave- 
nue, 115;  °f  d°°r  of  Mount 
Pleasant,  116;  of  doors  of 
Cliveden,  117;  of  soffits,  118; 
of  doors  of  Solitude,  118;  of 
door  of  Perot-Morris  house, 
118;  of  door  of  Upsala,  121; 
of  jambs  and  soffit  of  Henry 
house,  121;  molded  flat,  122; 
of  doors  in  round-arched  door- 
ways, 124,  125;  of  shutters, 
144,  145;  of  dado  of  Stenton, 
157;  of  wainscot  of  Cliveden, 
165 ;  of  wainscot  of  Mount 
Vernon,  174;  of  wainscot  of 
Mount  Pleasant,  176;  of 
mantels,  with  shelf,  178;  of 
hall,  parlor,  and  reception 
room,  186;  of  wainscot,  186; 
of  chimney-piece,  188;  of 
overmantel,  188;  of  reception 
room  at  Stenton,  189;  of 
inside  doors,  190;  of  jambs 
and  soffits,  191 ;  of  door  of 
Independence  Hall,  200;  in 
Independence  Hall,  200,  201, 
203 

Panes,  size,  135,  164;  num- 
ber, 135-140,  148-152;  rec- 
tangular, 149;  keystone- 
shaped,  149;  quajter-round, 
149 

Paschall,  Thomas,  22 

Pastorius,  Francis  Daniel,  82 

Peale,  Rembrandt,  206 

Peale  Museum,  206 

Pediments,  of  Woodford,  19; 
of  Port  Royal  House,  35;  of 
city  blocks,  40;  of  Black- 
well  house,  43  ;  of  The  Wood- 
lands, 65;  of  house  No.  5442 
Germantown  Avenue,  77;  of 
Vernon,  79;  of  Loudoun,  81 ;  of 
Cliveden,  88;  of  The  High- 
lands, 91 ;    forming  hood  above 


[  241  1 


Indi 


ex 


doorway,  106;  of  doorhead, 
107;  of  Morris  house,  109; 
Ionic,  191 

Pen  Rhyn  house,  windows  of,  139 

Penn,  Granville,  85 

Penn,  Granville  John,  85 

Penn,  John,  83-85,  90,  221 

Penn,  Governor  John,  84 

Penn,  Letitia,  16,  17 

Penn,  Thomas,  84 

Penn,  William,  3,  4,   16,   17,  84, 

Penn's  house,  windows  of,  136 
Pennsylvania,  importance  of  atti- 
tude of,  in  the  Revolution,  8 
Pennsylvania  Hospital,  148,  212— 

214 
Penthouse  roof,  influence  of,    19, 
60,   61 ;     characteristic  feature 
of  ledge   stonework,    19,    106; 
of      Grumblethorpe,      62;     of 
house    No.    6306   Germantown 
Avenue,  96;  of  Green  Tree  Inn, 
97,    107;      of   Billmeyer,     98; 
of  Whitby  Hall,  160 
Perot,  EUiston,  79 
Perot,  John,  79 

Perot-Morris  house,  eight- 
panel  door  of,  104,  105 ;  door- 
way of,  118,  119;  windows 
of,  137;  dormers  of,  141; 
shutters  and  blinds  of,  144, 
146,  147 
Peters,  Judge  Richard,  84 
Philadelphia,  unique  position  of, 
in  American  architecture,  1 ; 
old  buildings  of,  of  brick  and 
stone,  and  substantial  in  char- 
acter, 1 ;  much  of  best  Colonial 
domestic  architecture  to  be 
found  in  neighborhood  of,  2; 
history  enacted  in  buildings 
of,  2;  Georgian  and  pure 
Colonial  styles  in,  3 ;  re- 
view of  early  history  of,  3 ; 
laid    out    by   Thomas    Holme, 


4;  character  of  early  settlers 
of,  4 ;  early  commerce  of,  5 ; 
at  the  time  of  the  Revolution, 
5;  importance  of,  in  eight- 
eenth century,  6;  a  refuge  for 
immigrants  of  persecuted  sects, 
7;  Quaker  influence  in,  7; 
Scotch-Irish  ascendancy  in,  7; 
center  of  the  new  republic 
in  embryo,  8;  the  meeting  of 
the  Continental  Congresses  in, 
8,  9 ;  the  sitting  of  the  conven- 
tion for  framing  the  Consti- 
tution in,  9;  the  national 
capital,  9;  famous  men  as- 
sociated with,  9;  list  of  first 
things  established  or  done  at, 
9-1 1 ;  noted  for  its  generous 
hospitality,  1 1 ;  brilliancy  of 
its  social  life,  11-14;  theaters 
in,  14;  estates  of  the  country- 
side, 15;  has  distinctive  archi- 
tecture in  brick,  stone,  and 
woodwork,  and  diversified 
architecture  of  city  and  coun- 
try types,  15;  clung  to  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the 
mother  country,  16;  brick 
favored  in,  16,  17;  the  domi- 
nant feature  of  the  domestic 
architecture  of  the  city  proper, 
38;  houses  of,  possess  charm 
of  architectural  merit  com- 
bined with  historic  interest, 
101 
Philosophical  Society,  the,  48 
Piers,  of  Stenton,  26;  of  Clive- 
den, 88 
Pilasters,  of  Woodford,  20;  of 
Hope  Lodge,  24 ;  fluted,  of 
city  blocks,  40;  fluted,  of 
Blackwell  house,  42;  fluted, 
of  Morris  house,  49;  of  The 
Woodlands,  65;  of  Mount 
Pleasant,  74;  of  The  High- 
lands,    91 ;     supporting     pedi- 


[  H2] 


Inde 


x 


ment,  108;  of  house  No. 
6oi9Germantown  Avenue,  107; 
fluted,  of  Whitby  Hall,  158, 
159;  of  Mount  Vernon,  174; 
of  Upsala,  180,  181,  182; 
paneled,  of  house  No.  312 
Cypress  Street,  182,  183  ;  fluted, 
of  Independence  Hall,  204,  205 

Pillars,  81 

Pine,  Edgar,  206 

Pine,  Robert  Edge,  206 

Pine  Street,  house  No.  239, 
footscraper    of,    132 

Pine  Street,  house  No.  247, 
doorway  of,  109 

Pineapple,  the,  130 

Plastered  stone  country  houses, 
69-85;  one  of  the  distinctive 
types  of  Philadelphia  archi- 
tecture, 85 

Plastic  Club,  42 

Pointing,  methods  of,  55;  of 
Upsala,  59;  of  The  Wood- 
lands, 66;  of  hewn  stone 
houses,  87 ;  flush,  of  Cliveden, 
87;  of  The  Highlands,  91 

Pomfret,  Earl  of,  84 

Poor  Richard  Club,  42 

Porch,  to  servants'  quarters  and 
kitchen,  of  Hope  Lodge,  24; 
of  Stenton,  26 

Porches,  of  Hope  Lodge,  23,  120; 
pedimental,  of  Upsala,  60,  120; 
of  The  Highlands,  92;  not 
common,  119;  of  The  High- 
lands, 120;  of  the  Henry  house, 
121;  elliptical,  of  house  No. 
39  Fisher's  Lane,  122 

Port  Royal  House,  description 
of,  34»  35;  history  of,  35- 
37;  three-panel  door  of,  104; 
windows  of,  137;  dormers  of, 
141 ;   blinds  of,  143,  145 

Portico,  65,  81,  82 

Portius,  James,  induced  by  Penn 
to  come  to  the  New  World,  5 ; 


a  leading  member  of  the  Car- 
penters' Company,  5;  laid 
foundation  of  builders'  library, 
6 

Ports,  220 

Powel  house,  eight-panel  door 
of,  104;  doorway  of,  113; 
stoop  of,  128;  windows  of, 
x37,  f38;  dormers  of,  141; 
shutters  of,  144,  145 

Public  buildings,  of  Philadelphia, 
historically  and  architecturally 
inspiring,  196;  discussion  of, 
196-225 

Quakers,  Philadelphia  a 
place  of  refuge  for,  3; 
influence  of,  in  Philadelphia, 
7;  loved  eating  and  drinking, 
12,  13;  other  distractions  of, 
13;  little  difference  between 
homes  of  "World's  People" 
and,  14 

Quoining,  23,  35,  59,  73,  199, 
223 

Race  Street,  house  No.  128, 
windows  of,  136;  shutters  of, 
144,  147 

Race  Street,  house  No.  130, 
stoop  of,  128 

Railing,  wrought  iron,  83,  114; 
adaptation  of  Gothic  tra- 
cery, 123 

Rails,  of  blinds,  145,  146;  of 
doors,  103,  190;  of  shutters, 
144,  145;   of  windows,  134 

Rain  gauge,  62 

Ramsey,  Allan,  206 

Randolph,  Edmund,  78 

Randolph,  Peyton,  221 

Randolph  house,  doorway  of, 
124 

Red  Lion  Inn,  survival  of  inns  of 
Colonial  days,  12 

Reed,  General  Joseph,  25 


[243  ] 


Inaex 


Reed,  Joseph,  25 

Reeded  casings,  121 

Reeded  ovolo,  111,  183 

Reeve,  Mrs.  Josiah,  97 

Rex  house,  mantel  of,  182;  in- 
terior wood  finish  of,  187 

Reynolds,  John,  49 

Rhodes,  Samuel,  213 

Ridge  or  weathered  pointing,  55 

Rim  lock,  106,  no,  209 

Rittenhouse,  David,  9 

Rock-face  stonework,  53 

Rolling  ways,  40,  49 

Roofs,  balustraded,  219;  gable, 
39,  56  (Livezey  house),  59, 
120  (Upsala),  77  (No.  5442 
Germantown  Avenue),  79  (Ver- 
non), 94  (Bartram  house),  95 
(Johnson  house),  199  (Inde- 
pendence Hall),  124  (St.  Paul's 
Protestant  Episcopal  church); 
gambrel,  80;  hipped,  19 
(Woodford),  23  (Hope  Lodge), 
26  (Stenton),  31  (home  of 
Stephen  Girard),  35  (Port  Royal 
House),  66  (stable  of  The  Wood- 
lands), 72,  73  (Mount  Pleas- 
ant), 80  (Loudoun),  83  (Soli- 
tude), 198  (Independence  Hall) ; 
mansard,  80 

Rosettes,  130 

Ross,  Betsy,  51,  52 

Ross,  John,  51 

Roxborough,  167 

Rubble  masonry,  70,  73,  79,  81, 
82,  87,  91,  224 

Rush,  Doctor  Benjamin,  221 

Rush,  Colonel  William,  204 

St.  Luke's  Church,  82 

St.    Paul's    Protestant   Episcopal 

Church,  224 
St.  Peter's  Protestant  Episcopal 

Church,  149,  150,  222,  223 
Sargent,  John,  25 
Sash  bars,  134 


Sashes,  three-paned,  138,  140; 
six-paned,  40,  57,  83,  91,  96, 
135-140,  151;  seven-paned, 
148;  eight-paned,  48,  99,  137, 
138,  140;  nine-paned,  23,  40, 
57>  83,  96,  13S-138;  ten- 
paned,  148,  149;  twelve-paned, 
19,  48,  88,  99,  135-138,  148- 
152 ;  fifteen-paned,  148, 149;  six- 
teen-paned,  148,  149;  eighteen- 
paned,  149;  twenty-paned,  149; 
twenty-four-paned,  151;  with 
blinds,  3 1 ;  sliding  Georgian, 
134;  upper  and  lower,  adjust- 
ment of,  134;  double-hung, 
134;  sliding,  148 

Say,  Thomas,  63 

Scotch-Irish,  in  Philadelphia,  7 

Scroll  work,  130,  147,  159,  201 

Sea  Nymph,  the,  36 

Seats,  doorway,  94,  96,  98,  107; 
window,  24,  157,  188 

Seventh  and  Locust  Streets, 
house  at,  footscraper  of,  132; 
handrail  of,  133 

Sharpless,  John,  206 

SheafF,  George,  93 

Shingles,  65 

Shippen,  Edward,  76 

Shippen,  Peggy,  76 

Shippen,  Doctor  William,  46 

Shippen  house,  125 

Shoemaker,  Jacob,  57 

Shoemaker,  Thomas,  57 

Shutters,  paneled,  18;  of  Wood- 
ford, 19;  of  Hope  Lodge,  23; 
paneled,  of  Girard  house,  3 1 ; 
paneled,  of  city  blocks,  40; 
paneled,  of  Morris  house,  48; 
of  Livezey  house,  57;  of  Up- 
sala, 60;  of  Grumblethorpe, 
61 ;  of  house  No.  5442  German- 
town  Avenue,  77;  of  Vernon, 
79;  paneled,  of  Loudoun,  81; 
of  Cliveden,  88;  paneled,  of 
Johnson    house,    96;     of    the 


[  244 


Index 


Billmeyer  house,  99;  use  of, 
142-144;  boxed,  143;  panel- 
ing of,  144,  145;  methods  of 
hanging  and  fastening,  146- 
148 

Side  lights,  of  Stenton,  27,  123; 
of  The  Highlands,  92;  rare, 
122;  earliest  instance  of,  in 
Philadelphia,  123;  of  Penn- 
sylvania Hospital,  213 

Site  and  Relic  Society,  80,  97 

Sketch  Club,  42 

Skirting,  186 

Soffits,  paneled,  107,  108,  in, 
118,  158,  159,  191,  203;  fluted, 
109;  rusticated,  116 

Solitude,  description  of,  82,  83 ; 
history  of,  83-85;  three-pan- 
eled door  of,  104;  doorway 
of,  118;  windows  of,  136; 
dormers  of,  140;  with  neither 
outside  shutters  nor  blinds, 
142;   interior  finish  of,  187 

South  American  Street,  house 
No.  272,  stoop  of,  129 

South  Eighth  Street,  house  No. 
224,  eight-paneled  door  of, 
105;  doorway  of,  122,  123; 
stoop  of,  128 

South  Ninth  Street,  house  No. 
216,  stoop  of,  128 

South  Seventh  Street,  house  No. 
301,  eight-paneled  door  of, 
104,  105;  doorway  of,  114; 
stoop  of,  129;  handrail  of,  132, 

133 
South  Seventh  Street,  house  No. 

701,  doorway    of,   no;    stoop 

of,  128 
South   Third    Street,    house   No. 

316,  porch  of,  128 
South  Third    Street,    house   No. 

320,  footscrapers  of,  132 
Southwark,      or     South     Street, 

Theater,  III 
Sower,  Christopher,  63 


Spandrils,  molded,  116 

Spindles,  130 

Spruce  Street,  house  No.  709, 
doorway  of,  in 

Spruce  Street,  old  house  on, 
chimney-piece  of,  178 

Stable,  of  The  Woodlands,  66 

Staircases,  wainscoted,  43 ;  hall, 
154,  IS5»  I57»  I58;  of  Sten- 
ton, 156,  157;  of  Whitby 
Hall,  159-160,  162-164;  of 
Mount  Pleasant,  161-164;  of 
Cliveden,  165,  166;  of  Up- 
sala,  166,  167;  of  Independ- 
ence Hall,  200;  of  Penn- 
sylvania Hospital,  214 

Stair  rail,  footscraper  com- 
bined with,  132,  133 

Stairway,  of  Hope  Lodge,  24; 
balustraded,  of  Mount  Pleas- 
ant, 74;  of  The  Highlands, 
92 

Stamper,  John,  43 

State  House,  the  old  (Inde- 
pendence Hall),  8,  197 

Steeples,  197,  219,  220,  223 

Stenton,  description  of,  25-28; 
history  of,  28-3 1 ;  door  of,  105  ; 
doorway  of,  123,  124;  windows 
of,  137,  141 ;  with  neither  out- 
side shutters  nor  blinds,  142; 
hall  of,  156,  157;  fireplace  of, 
172;  interior  wood  finish  of, 
185,  186,  188,  189 

Steps,  of  Woodford,  19;  of  Hope 
Lodge,  23;  of  Stenton,  27; 
single,  of  city  blocks,  40; 
of  Upsala,  60;  of  Grumble- 
thorpe,  61 ;  of  The  High- 
lands, 92;  of  house  No.  701 
South  Seventh  Street,  no; 
on  various  classes  of  stoops, 
126-130 

Steuben,  Baron  von,  76 

Stiles,  of  doors,  103,  190;  of 
doors,    double,    114;     of   win- 


[245] 


Index 


dows,  134;  of  shutters,  144, 
145;   of  blinds,  146 

Stiles,  Daniel,  35 

Stiles,  Edward,  35-37 

Stiles,  John,  35 

Stocker  house,  windows  of,  138; 
dormers  of,  141 

Stonework,  surfaced  and  ledge, 
53 ;  the  refinements  and  the 
essentials  of,  54;  pointed  and 
unpointed,  55;  not  always 
pleasing,  69,  70;  plastered, 
69-85;  surfaced,  to  be  recom- 
mended only  for  large  and 
pretentious  residences  or  for 
public  work,  86.  See  Ledge- 
stone 

Stoops,  40,  126-130,  208 

Stretchers,  of  blocks,  18,  38; 
of  Stenton,  26;  of  Morris 
house,  48 

Strickland,  William,  197,  215 

String  course,  172 

Stuart,  Gilbert,  63,  206 

Sully,  Thomas,  206 

Surbase,  83,  157,  159,  163,  186, 
187 

Swaenson  family,  4 

Swag,  175 

Swedes,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Schuylkill  River,  3 

Theaters,  in  Philadelphia,  14 

Third  and  DeLancy  streets, 
house  at,  mantel  of,  182 

Third  and  Pine  streets,  house 
at,  doorway  of,  125;  porch 
of,  128 

Third  and  Spruce  streets,  house 
at,  footscraper  of,  131 

Tiles,  of  Woodford,  20;  of  Sten- 
ton, 27,  28 

Torus,  175,  176,  183 

Tower,  199,  200,  223 

Transom,  four-paned,  71,  106 

Triglyphs,  116,  118,  162 


Trinity  Church,  223,  224 
Truxton,  Commodore,  221 
Turn  buckles,  147 
Tuscan,   doorway,    19,    116,    118; 

columns,  77 
Two-family  house,  98 

Underground  passage,  28,  83 
"Underground  railway",  97 
Upsala,    description    of,    59,    60; 
history     of,     60,     61 ;      eight- 
panel  door  of,  104;    porch  and 
doorway    of,    120,    121 ;    foot- 
scraper of,    132;    windows  of, 
137;  dormers  of,  140;  shutters 
and   blinds  of,   144,   145;    hall 
and    staircase    of,    166,     167; 
mantels  of,  179-182;  chambers 
of,    186,    187;     interior   wood- 
work of,  194 
Urns,  88 

Vernon,  description  of,  79,  80; 
history  of,  80;  door  of,  105; 
footscraper  of,  132;  win- 
dows of,  137;  dormers  of, 
140;   shutters  of,  143 

Wainscots,   of  Woodford,   20; 
of  Hope  Lodge,  24;    of  Sten- 
ton,    27,     28;      of     Blackwell 
house,   43 ;    of  Livezey  house, 
57;     of  Upsala,    60,    167;     of 
house    No.    5442    Germantown 
Avenue,  77;    of  Cliveden,  165; 
of    Mount    Vernon,     174;     of 
Mount    Pleasant,     176;      pan- 
eled,  186,    187;    of    Independ- 
ence Hall,  201 
Wall  paper,  hand-blocked,  186 
Walls,  of  city  blocks,  38,  39 
Wain    house,    windows    of,    137; 

shutters  of,  143 
Walnut  Street,  house  No.   1107, 

130 
Walnut  Street  Theater,  14 


[246) 


Index 


Walter,  Thomas  Ustick,   34,  215 

Washington,  George,  his  fare- 
well address  in  Philadelphia, 
9;  at  Stenton,  30;  at  house  No. 
5442  Germantown  Avenue,  78; 
at  Billmeyer  house,  99;  statues 
of,  204,  206;  portrait  of,  206; 
associations  of  Congress  Hall 
with,  207,  208;  at  St.  Peter's 
Church,  222 

Water  table,  88 

Watmough,  Colonel  James 
Horatio,  25 

Wayne,  Captain  Isaac,  69 

Waynesboroue;h,  69 ;  windows 
of,  136;    blinds  of,  145 

Wentz  family,  25 

West,  Benjamin,  206,  213 

West,  William,  25 

Wharton,  Charles,  45 

Wharton,  Deborah  (Fisher),  45, 
46 

Wharton,  Francis  Rawle,  22 

Wharton,  Hannah,  45 

Wharton,  Isaac,  22 

Wharton,  Joseph,  22,  45 

Wharton,  Robert,  58 

Wharton,  William,  45 

Wharton  house,  42,  44-46;  eight- 
panel  door  of,  104;  doorway 
of,  113;  windows  of,  135, 
138;  dormers  of,  141 ;  shutters 
of,  143,  145 

Whiskey  Rebellion,  the,  93 

Whitby  Hall,  windows  of,  137, 
139;  shutters  of,  143;  Pal- 
ladian  window  of,  151,  158; 
hall  and  stairway  of,  158- 
160,  162-165;  history  of,  160, 
161 ;  chimney-piece  of,  172, 
173;  interior  wood  finish  of, 
185,  186,  188,  189,  191;  round- 
headed  windows  of,  193 

White,  Bishop,  220 

White,  Doctor,  44 

Whitefield,  Bishop,  213 

[247] 


"Widow  Mackinett's  Tavern", 
98 

William  IV,  King,  78 

William  Henry,  Prince,  78 

Williams,  Jonathan,  76 

Willing  family,  44 

Wilson,  Alexander,  222 

Wilson,  James,  221 

Window-casings,  24,  74,  94 

Window  embrasures,  159,  188, 
189,  200 

Window  frames,  of  Stenton,  26; 
of  city  blocks,  39;  of  house  No. 
5442  Germantown  Avenue,  77; 
during  the  Colonial  period,  a 
perpetuation  of  the  initial 
types,  134;  of  heavy  type, 
141 ;  molded,  149 

Window  seats,  24,  157,  188 

Window  sills,  of  Upsala,  60; 
of  house  No.  5442  Germantown 
Avenue,  77;  of  The  High- 
lands, 91 ;  of  Bartram  House, 
94;  stone,  142;  in  Independ- 
ence Hall,  200 

Windows,  19;  of  Hope  Lodge, 
23;  of  Stenton,  26,  27;  of 
the  Girard  house,  31;  of  Port 
Royal  House,  35;  of  city 
blocks,  39,  40;  of  Morris 
house,  48,  49;  of  Livezey 
house,  56,  57;  of  Upsala,  60; 
of  Grumblethorpe,  61,  62;  of 
The  Woodlands,  65 ;  of  Mount 
Pleasant,  73  ;  of  house  No.  5442 
Germantown  Avenue,  77;  of 
Vernon,  79;  of  Loudoun,  81; 
of  Solitude,  83 ;  of  Cliveden, 
88;  of  The  Highlands,  91,  92; 
of  the  Johnson  house,  95,  96; 
of  Green  Tree  Inn,  97 ;  of  the 
Billmeyer  house,  99;  during 
the  Colonial  period,  a  per- 
petuation of  the  initial  types, 
134;  treatment  of,  141,  142; 
of    Independence     Hall,     199; 


Index 


of  Congress  Hall,  208;  of 
Carpenters'  Hall,  211 J  of 
Pennsylvania  Hospital,  215, 
216;  ten-paned,  152;  twelve- 
paned,  57,  61,  79,  135;  eight- 
een-paned,  61,  135;  twenty- 
four-paned,  35,  77,  81,  135, 
199,  209,  211;  ranging,  23, 
27,  35>  48,  73>  81,  88,  95, 
206;  round-topped,  35,  39, 
65,  77>  88,  99,  148,  149,  208, 
223,  224;  square-headed,  209; 
segmental-topped,  61,  97.  See 
Dormers,  Palladian,  Sashes 

Wing  steps,  98,  114,  129 

Wissahickon  Creek,  mill  on,  57- 

59 

Wistar,  Doctor  Caspar,  47, 
72,  78 

Wistar,  Daniel,  80 

Wistar,  John,  80 

Wistar,  William,  80 

Wistar  house,  39,  46-48;  balus- 
trade of,  127;  windows  of, 
*37>  I395  dormers  of,  140; 
shutters  of,  143,  145 

Wistar  Parties,  47,  48 

Wistaria,  47 

Wister,  Alexander  W.,  64 

Wister,  Charles  J.,  64,  71 

Wister,  Charles  J.,  Jr.,  64 

Wister,  Daniel,  63 

Wister,  John,  62,  63,  78 

Wister,  Margaret,  78 

Wister,  Owen,  64 

Wister,  Sally,  64 

"Wister's  Big  House."  See 
Grumblethorpe 

Witherill  house,  dormers  of,  139; 
shutters  of,  145 

Wood,  white-painted,  houses  of,  17 


Wood  carvers,  179 

Wood  finish.     See  Interior 

Woodford,  description  of,  18-20; 
history  of,  20-22;  door  of, 
105;  windows  of,  137;  shutters 
of,  143 

Woodlands,  The,  description  of, 
64-66;  history  of,  66-68;  with 
neither  outside  shutters  nor 
blinds,  142;  Palladian  win- 
dows of,  151,  152 

Woods,  white-painted  soft,  the 
possibilities  of,  194 

Woodwork  brought  from  over- 
seas, but  later  produced  in 
the  colonies,  18;  interior,  of 
Woodford,  20;  of  Hope  Lodge, 
24;  of  Stenton,  26,  156;  of 
Blackwell  house,  42,  43  ;  white- 
painted,  in  combination  with 
ledge  stone,  55,  56,  66;  of 
Upsala,  60;  of  Grumble- 
thorpe, 62,  63 ;  of  Mount 
Pleasant,  74;  of  house  No.  5442 
Germantown  Avenue,  77,  78; 
of  Vernon,  80;  of  Solitude, 
83  ;  of  Cliveden,  88 ;  of  The 
Highlands,  92;  of  the  Bill- 
meyer  house,  99;  of  house  No. 
701  South  Seventh  Street,  no; 
suggesting  Dutch  influence, 
123;  of  Mount  Vernon,  174; 
of  Christ   Church,  219 

"World's  People",  the,  12,  13,  14 

Wyck,  70-72;  door  of,  103; 
footscraper  of,  130;  windows 
of,  138;  dormers  of,  140; 
shutters  of,  143,  148 

Wynnestay,  windows  of,  137; 
dormers  of,  140;  shutters  of, 
I43>  144 


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